


The Exes

by Kelkat9



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Break Up, F/M, Makeup, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-18
Updated: 2014-01-20
Packaged: 2018-01-09 03:23:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1140844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr. Jonathon Ardis and Rose Tyler were considered an odd match, him the Professor and her the student and famous Vitex Heiress.  They married quickly amidst much gossip and speculation. Despite being madly in love, trouble was on the horizon and soon it ripped them apart.  Though bitter and angry, fate brought them back together.  Some things, it turned out were worth getting your heart broken for; and sometimes, two people torn apart by lies and miscommunication can find the truth, that they still love each other. Perhaps, love does conquer all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AU!!! This is quite ANGSTY for several chapters and is a break up AU about this couple finding out the truth about their divorce and facing up to their issues and finding out they still love each other. This is a relationship building story. I was unhappy with my writing so this is my fic therapy trying to get it back on track.
> 
> * * *

Dr. Jonathon T. Ardis glared across the room at the flirtatious blonde woman in the flowing blue dress that skimmed her curves stopping just below her knees. The bodice was strapless and exposed her creamy shoulders which he was all too familiar with. She wore a simple silver choker necklace and her hair was pinned up in messy curls. She was laughing and flirting with some handsome, poshly dressed bloke. Actually, it was more than one. He snorted at that thinking it must be typical. He gritted his teeth, determined to keep his distance from _her._

He'd wasted enough time on that particular wolf in a curvy package. He'd seen how that little she wolf stuck to her pack, saw that clearly in the divorce, a divorce which she blamed him for, as if he'd done something wrong when it was really all down to her. Her, and her busy body family who always interfering, accused him of misdeeds, falsely accused and judged him. He sniffed. He'd done nothing wrong and certainly not what they'd accused him of. As if he would break his wedding vows for a few shags with a French actress. Ridiculous! Not, of course, that he hadn't enjoyed the lovely Jeanette Poisson after the divorce and made sure there were pictures of the very fine time he'd had celebrating his freedom and they were posted in every Tab in London.

He walked over to a pretty ginger haired girl with lovely long legs dressed in a flirty short white dress and put on his most dazzling smile. A few witty babbles and a bit of his own type of charm, and he had her on the dance floor, showing off his mad skills and scandalizing the crowd as the musicians cranked out something far from the stuffy and proper music this crowd was accustomed to at these types of charity functions. He shimmied his hips and bumped up against the ginger who he learned was named Amy. The lovely Amy was at this function at the invitation of his ex wife which added a delicious layer to the evening. He hoped it burned her seeing him off with her little ginger friend. She deserved a bit of discomfort after the way her barrister raked him through the coals in the divorce with her accusations of infidelity.

_Divorce_ , the very word made his blood boil. Poor Rose Marion Tyler of the Vitex Tylers, that's what everyone had said by the time her wealthy parents were done with him. They made him out to be some gold digger, seducing her, using her for her money and tossing her aside for whatever piece of skirt he fancied. Rubbish all of it, not that Rose believed him much less the public or the court system. Then _she_ got on the stand, proclaiming her heartbreak, how she just wanted it over and didn't want anything but to get her life back, playing the poor abandoned wife. That was rich. She came from money, lacked for nothing including attention. She tossed him aside coldly like day old rubbish. Before he knew what was happening, he was being served with divorce papers and she'd fled the country.

Theirs had been a whirlwind relationship, love at first sight and married a month later. Her mother never warmed up to him, accused him of taking advantage of her daughter just because they'd met at his University. Yes, Rose was younger than him but in this day and age ten years was nothing and it wasn't like Rose was his student. They'd met at a faculty get together. She was a student assistant to Professor Jones in the English department. They had just clicked. It wasn't his idea that she quit school or take a trip around the world with him. He never wanted a dime from her. They stopped at various universities so he could guest lecture and made it a working holiday. Not, that it made any difference in her family's eyes.

He shoved all those memories of traveling, snogging in the park and shagging under the stars from his mind. That was the past, over and done with. He was free now to do as he pleased without interfering mother-in-laws or having to worry about paparazzi. He didn't come away penniless either, not that he'd asked for it. Her barrister insisted on paying him off for not talking about her to the press. At his barrister's insistence he took the settlement and then left London to enjoy himself and put it behind him. After a year of lecturing in Paris, he was back and he wasn't going to allow _her_ to ruin his life any longer. He pulled the delicious ginger, Amy, closer to him and showed everyone that he didn't care a whiff what Rose Tyler thought.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Rose knew the minute her ex husband entered the room. How could she not know? He was the definition of charismatic. He had an energy about him that had always attracted her. When Dr. Jonathon Ardis, who she used to call the Doctor, entered a room, women commented and why not? He was tall, slender and wore a fitted suit that showed exactly how lean and wiry he was in the most delicious ways. Rose knew all too well how muscular and lithe he was. In a word, he was gorgeous and he knew it.

He was also a genius and brilliant in a way that overwhelmed and intimidated many people. In the end, Rose was sure it was one of the reasons their marriage failed. Well, that and the fact he was a perpetual flirt. She had been so swept up in him, the energy around him and how someone that clever wanted to spend time with her. Rose had to work hard for every good mark or passing grade at University. He could breeze into a room and solve twenty problems before she was half way through her first. Of course, he was always charming to her about it, teasing but not talking down to her. At least, not at first.

Months later, after they were married and traveling the world, she saw what she thought were a few signs of regret in his eyes. The first doubt came when she met a colleague of his, Dr. Sarah Jane Smith. She was beautiful and intelligent and they seemed so caught up with each other that Rose wondered if she should leave them to it. Of course, twinges of jealousy overwhelmed her and she made a few cutting remarks which the Doctor disliked and shot her pointed looks. In the end, she and Sarah Jane had gone out for a drink and talked and that's when she heard the real story about him, at least as much as Sarah Jane knew. It was also when Rose realized how little she knew about this man she'd married.

The one thing that was still primary in Rose's mind was how much she loved him. After all, love conquers all, right? Well, maybe not so much. As much as they both loved traveling, reading, meeting people and many times completed each other's sentences, there was still a wall between them. At first it wasn't obvious but as she asked him more about his past and he avoided answering her, she worried.

There were other incidents when she was out with he and his professor associates and she realized, she couldn't join in the conversation because she hadn't a clue about the topic. She'd suggested that since she was so lost maybe he should go to these meetings on his own. He'd not been happy with her and suggested that he'd attended several parties with she and her friends and been bored to tears and at least with his colleagues she could learn something. They didn't speak for a day after that. He apologized, told her it was important to him to have her there with him, that he was proud of her and her being there made the meetings better for him.

Despite these minor arguments and differences, Rose couldn't ignore her heart. It wasn't easy either with her mother constantly complaining about how the Doctor had made some comment at a party insulting someone or refused to attend some important event. Honestly, Rose could care a less. She loved the Doctor for being his own man and for being different. Rose wasn't big on society parties like her Mum was. She was just as happy curled up with her husband watching a film or reading a good book.

Things calmed down for a couple of months until they attended a film premiere for a remake of _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ starring the famous French actress Jeanette Poisson. The Doctor was a big fan and excited to meet her. She was blonde, beautiful, a bit older and more poised than Rose, educated and elegant. As the Doctor spoke fluent French with her, laughing and ordering a drink for her, Rose once again felt like she was being left behind. The rest of the evening he gushed about how brilliant Jeanette was and how she had degrees in history and drama from the Sorbonne and how he'd like to teach there one day and then more on what an accomplished woman she was.

Later, when he'd made a trip to the Sorbonne for a guest lecture and a picture of him and Jeanette had made the Tabs, Rose felt all her insecurities well up. People began to talk and one of his friends at University, Harold Saxon, rang her up to suggest that she'd been duped, that he had a history of running off and there were a long line of girlfriends in his past and ones with far more education than she had. Oh he backtracked telling her that he didn't mean to suggest she wasn't smart enough but the damage was done.

When Rose tried to plan a weekend away for them and the Doctor begged off due to work, Rose called his secretary only to learn that he wasn't working. Yet, he left everyday proclaiming long hours ahead of him and he wouldn't be home for dinner. Rose didn't know what to think. Finally, it was her parents who snipped her last thread of hope. They had him followed and found out he had been to Paris flat hunting. He'd never mentioned this to Rose and combined with the pictures of Jeanette… Her mother insisted that Rose be proactive and end it now before things became any more public.

After that, Rose went back to their flat and gave him one more chance to tell her the truth. She'd asked about his day and he lied. She asked if there was anything wrong he'd like to talk about and he denied it. Finally, Rose stood before him and asked him if he regretted marrying her. He'd rolled his eyes and asked why she was listening to her mother again and when she was going to stop listening to pointless gossip; how she should be smarter than that and why all the questions? He didn't interrogate her regarding her day.

Rose nodded and turned and went to bed. She heard him on the phone speaking in French that night. He never came to bed and he was gone the next morning before she got up. Rose cried her heart out and realized everyone was right. All her friends and told her she was a fool for rushing into a marriage with him. His own friend, Sarah Jane, had warned her he was a tough one to keep a hold of and if she needed to talk, Sarah Jane would be there. As she packed, she remembered all the gossip at school and how cruel people had been to her saying he'd married her for a lark and what an odd mix they were, the blond and the professor. They also said things about her that didn't bear repeating. She quit school so she didn't have to hear it. Now she was quitting her marriage, packing, letting him go.

Rose never tried to call him. She left him a note saying he was free to do as he liked, that she would see to the legalities and he could keep the flat. She ended with she hoped he had a good life and could find happiness. Rose never spoke to him again after that. She left the country and didn't return until the final hearing and that was the last time she'd seen him, glaring at her across a courtroom.

After the divorce, she'd seen plenty of pictures of him and Jeanette in passionate embraces. He had moved to Paris. Rose assumed it was to be near Jeanette. She tried to move on with her life. Now, they were in the same room together and all she wanted to do was leave but her pride wouldn't let her. He'd already damaged enough of her self-confidence, made her question everyone's motives. She deserved to enjoy the evening and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of chasing her off.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

As the evening progressed, he watched her down a bit more wine than she should. She was dancing more than he knew she would normally. She even stumbled a few times. It annoyed him how much she was smiling and flirting. His Rose never would have done this. When she was with him, she was bubbly and bright but never overindulged like this unless it was the two of them together at home. She was making spectacle of herself. He smirked, good.

As she stumbled with some boring CEO, he cut in. Rose was shocked when he took her in his arms.

"Well, well if it isn't my inebriated ex out for a dip in the society soiree pool. How's life in the upper class?" he asked as he led her around the room in a boring slow dance.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" she whinged. "I was having a lovely time with uh um Alec er Alistair…"

"Adam, Adam Mitchell, CEO of GeoComTex Industries, head wanker so to speak and one of your adoring, drooling followers."

"Do we have to do this? I mean shouldn't you be off with one of your gorgeous, clever, accomplished women? Why waste time on me?" Rose retorted.

He barked a harsh laugh. "That's right. You're the poor little victim and I'm the lothario. How remiss of me to forget."

She groaned. "What more do you want from me? You're free to go do whatever and whoever you want. What's the point of this? I mean if it's ego, go show me up. Do your thing, tell them all what a stupid, evil, witch I am. Just.." She stopped dancing and stumbled backwards a step. "Oh, just go be Professor Hotty and leave me be."

With that Rose turned to leave promising Amy who was sharing a drink with an elderly benefactor of the library expansion fund they were here to support, that she'd catch up with her later. As she retrieved her coat, the Doctor caught up with her and grabbed her arm spinning her around.

"Don't, just don't. You were the one that left me. You walked out and never said a word. Not one word, Rose Tyler, just some barely legible note and not even a call or answering your mobile. You walked out and served me with papers with little to no explanation. A bit cold don't ya think?"

Rose rubbed her temples. "Look, it's done. You made it clear even when you said nothing which you're really good at. Had myself a good cry and admitted the truth and did my best to move on and let you go. You're free Doctor. I'm sorry if you wanted to be the one to toss me aside for the next best thing. I really tried to be the bigger person."

"Bigger person!" he shouted out bitterly. "Hardly! In fact I'd say you were the opposite of that, more, she who ran out and didn't let the door hit her on her posh little arse on the way out!"

"I can't do this now."

"Obviously. You couldn't do it then either. Just ran off to Mummy and Daddy instead facing me like a woman. Tell me this, did I even know you or is this the real Rose Tyler."

At this point, Rose was done. Apparently he thought he was the hurt party in all this. She was annoyed at that considering he was the one off having an affair but right now her head was throbbing. She'd had enough. "Go back and enjoy the party, there's lots of pretty girls in there just your type…well except I doubt there's any French blondes. But, I'm sure you won't let that stop you." She pulled away and rushed out of the building to a waiting cab.

He was seething at her parting comment, his fists clenched at his side. He wanted answers not her pointless and evasive rambles and accusations. This was not done. He returned to the party and grabbed a glass of champagne. He eyed the pretty Amy Pond. If Rose was going to be that way, refuse to admit what had turned her into a betraying viper then he would do exactly what she suggested, enjoy the company of some attractive women, starting with her lovely friend, Amy.

* * *

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Rose awakened the next morning to her mobile belting out _Party Girl_. She blearily reached over for it and pulled it under the covers and to her ear.

"What?" she asked sleepily

"Rose, tell me you're awake!" Amy shouted.

Rose winced and pulled the phone away, squinting at it.

"Barely. Amy, this better be important. I had a bit too much last night and…"

"Of course it's important! Dr. Jonathon Ardis was there last night. Tall, thin bloke, great hair and a bit of a flirt. That is your ex, isn't?"

Rose sighed and wanted to burrow further into her pillows rather than have this conversation. "Amy, I knew he was there. The git weaseled in a dance and followed me out, being all annoying and trying to start a row."

"He talked to you! And you didn't tell me!"

Amy's shrieks through the phone nearly split Rose's head. "Amy, I was a bit busy trying to get away from him and get home. So go on and tell did something happen after I left? Oh god, did he try and pull you?"

"Oh, he did more than that! He tried to pump me for information about you, being all smooth and charming but don't worry, I could see he was up to something," Amy confided

"Amy, he just wanted in your knickers. That's what blokes like him do."

Amy sighed and Rose had a vision of her rolling her eyes. "Well duh! But it was more than that. Oh, he was trying to be all kissy face and I might give him a few snogging points…"

"You snogged my ex?" Rose said a bit louder and then winced and snuggled into her pillow. "Oh Amy, haven't you heard enough 'bout him. Did I not show you the pictures of him and the French actress during our Tequila and I hate men night."

Amy shushed her. "Listen, I'm trying to tell you something! The kissy faced git was working me about you. At first he was all dancing, champagne and babbling about traveling and what I was studying in school but then he smoothly and subtlety asked me about you. He was all, _so you arrived with Rose Tyler. I hear she's living quite a posh single life. I read she's got her eye on some American millionaire_ ," Amy recited, trying to mimic his accent

Rose pinched the bridge of her nose. "Amy, just…don't talk to him. He's still angry it wasn't him who broke things off. He's got this ego. You know how men are."

"Oh, let me finish! I played along just to see how far he'd take it, to see how persuasive he'd get and he was really persuasive. I mean his lips…"

"I don't wanna here this! Especially not about him and specially not when I'm a little hung over."

"But you have to!" she insisted. "He kept asking things about you like what you were doing now and had I heard about your nasty divorce?"

Rose really didn't want to deal with this but she could tell if she didn't let Amy talk, there would be endless phone calls. "Yeah, he was askin' me questions last night too. I swear, he just wants to torture me because I filed first."

"Don't worry. When the smarmy git thought he could seduce information out of me, I decided to teach him a lesson."

"Lesson?" Rose asked, now a bit more awake.

"Yes! I started with my super sexy come hither look."

Rose quirked a smile. She'd seen Amy do this many times. She was deadly in a short skirt and a mind set to seduction.

"And I got him real close, giggling like so that he was gazing into my eyes and then I grabbed him by is very fine black bow tie and yanked him down. I told him that cheating, no good, betraying gits like him deserved what they got and he should consider himself lucky you were so nice to him and that if it had been me, I'd of taken a strip of hide out of him amongst other things. And, if he wanted to know more about why his marriage failed, maybe he should look in the mirror whilst remembering the pain he cause you, pain like this! And then I kneed him in the groin and left as he crumbled over in half. It was…satisfying."

Rose snorted out a laugh. "Amy, you really shouldn't have. It'll just set him off, add to the challenge of him trying to force me into some weird apology so he can dump me like a proper man thing."

"As if I would ever let you do that. If he comes sniffing around again, you call me."

"Right," Rose said and yawned.

Amy rang off and Rose tried to go back to sleep, she tossed and turned as her dreams were riddled with memories of that last day she had spent with him and the pain that haunted her for months afterward.

Dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwd

The Doctor rolled out of bed in his new flat, wincing a bit. He cursed his ex and her violent friends. As he stumbled to the loo, he looked into the mirror and wondered what he had been thinking. It should have been apparent the cheeky ginger would defend her friend. Anger filled him again. He was Dr. Jonathon Ardis, brilliant, respected and invited to universities all over the world to lecture on advances in theoretical quantum physics and various other sciences which he had mastered. A highly regarded and noted professor at the top of his field didn't allow some blonde vapid socialite to get the better of him.

But, that was the point. She had gotten the better of him, gotten under his skin, tricked him, him possibly one of the most brilliant men in the world. Brilliant, yet she had fooled him with her tongue teasing smile and golden brown eyes. At first, she was all fun, joyous and happy but that had all turned to dust and quickly. It drove him mad that he could be so stupid as to not see it coming. He should let this go, forget about her and her shallow life. Except, he couldn't do that. The scientist part of him could not let it go until he understood what happened; what led up to these events? What made her change? Was she always this way? What was the equation that he'd failed to recognize that led to where he was now?

He dressed for his lecture, violently fixing his tie. He grabbed his satchel on the way out to catch the bus to his newest assignment, Head of the Physics Department at London University. It wasn't the most highest and esteemed position. Honestly, he could have worked anywhere. There were several posh and esteemed universities that pursued him but he didn't want anything close to posh ever again. He'd had enough of that with _her_. London University was respected but the people were grounded. Some of his friends from his prior University like Harry Saxon free lanced there. He would be in good company.

After settling into his office, he faced the bane of his existence, administrative work. A few hours of that had him rubbing his eyes and then suddenly, he saw a name on a list that caught his attention. Normally, he could have cared a less about student lists much less virtual students who attended online but there was no way he could miss _her_ name. Rose Marion Tyler, was virtually attending Introduction to Physics. It was like some sort of twisted universal karma. His ex was not only attending his school but was a student taking a course in his department. Suddenly, he had a desire to teach this basic course. An evil smile lit his face. She couldn't avoid him now. A few quick clicks and he switched her to a course taught by him. He'd deal with the administrative rabble over his actions later.

Part of him was glad to see her back in school. Maybe whatever vapid society mania that had overcome her was ebbing. She never had told him why she quit other than she wanted to travel and once back in London never picked it back up even though she was half way through her degree. A thought struck him. He'd never pushed her on it, never even really asked why, and just accepted it. It was like he reached some type of epiphany. Why? She had been doing well although not up to her potential. Certainly, he could see how bright she was and it never made sense to him why she wasn't flying through school work. But why quit halfway? Maybe that was the beginning of when things changed. He'd never thought about that until now.

He gazed down at his monitor and tapped it with his pen. "You owe me, Rose Tyler. You think you can waltz into my life, stir things up, tell everyone I'm a bastard and waltz out, tossing my love aside without so much as a reason. I don't think you know who you're dealing with."

dwdwdwdwdw

Rose groaned when she logged into her school account and found out the Introduction to Physics course had been changed to one Professor Jonathon Ardis. "Bastard," she muttered and considered dropping it. The only problem was, she needed it. She'd avoided her science credits like the plague last time she'd been in school but now she had to have them. Rose wondered what horrible thing she'd done in her life to curse her with the Doctor. First, he swept in and turned her life upside down, making her feel special and loved. Then she'd learned she wasn't so special after all and that he didn't really love her. It was like all those wankers at her last school said, she was just an amusement that he fancied at the time until he bored of her. She'd tried so hard to make it work and in the end, it all came crashing down. Now, she was trying to get her life back together again at a new school and he came swanning back to knock her down again. Why was this happening to her?

She gripped her head in frustration and stared at her laptop. No, she wouldn't let him ruin her life again and steal away her self confidence. She was Rose Tyler and she was strong, determined and smart. Maybe not as smart as him and his snooty friends but she could still finish school and do well for herself, make a new life outside the shadow of her wealthy family and far from the judgmental and condescending university faculty. Fine, he wanted to torture her, let him. She would work hard and persevere and if he even tried to sabotage her, she would take it to the administration as a conflict of interest.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

A week went by and Rose worked hard on all of her online courses, reading, participating in online discussions, completing projects and submitting everything on time. She also worked at a part time job at the British Museum. She was assisting one of the curators, Dr. Wilford Mott, who had a few organizational problems. Rose loved working for him. He was kind and had a wonderful sense of humour. She was just finishing up for the day when her mother rang her to remind her they were having dinner that night.

Rose sighed not looking forward to this. Her mother was determined to marry her off to some eligible bachelor she deemed socially acceptable and by socially that meant wealthy and posh. Rose had brought a change of clothes, a simple but conservative dark gray sheath and black patent leather pumps. She donned her long tan coat she'd bought whilst traveling with the Doctor and which she loved, fluffed her hair and left to face whatever her mother had planned. The Stratton Club was regarded as one of the best restaurants in the city, its chef catering to high end and demanding clientele. It was a bit fussy for Rose's tastes.

As expected, her parents had invited a date for her, Jack Harkness, an American entrepreneur and known in the tech industry as quite an innovator. He was tall, handsome, almost too handsome. He had raven black hair and blue eyes that sparkled as he kissed her hand in greeting. It took everything in Rose not groan. Her mother spent the evening extoling Rose's virtues and name dropping. It wasn't that her mother was a bad person, quite the contrary. She was well know for her charity work and demanding her socialite friends dig into their pockets and help the needy.

It was that her mother was a bit focused on Rose's future. She had a vision for her daughter, one that included a fancy house, rich husband, lots of children and not having to work or do anything other the charity work her mum enjoyed. Rose's vision was quite different. Rose wanted to travel, explore, meeting new people and live a little before settling down. Besides, she'd tried the marriage thing and it hadn't really worked. If anything, she had learned a lot about what it meant to marry and how risky it was to entrust your heart to someone. She wasn't ready to try that again any time soon and why should she? There was plenty of time for marriage later if and when she wanted to go there. Meanwhile though, her mother was determined to marry her off and force her into some preconceived society mold.

"Mr. Harkness, you simply must allow Rose to show you around while you're in town. You will be in town more than a few days?" Rose's mother, Jackie Tyler, asked.

Jack smiled his movie star smile at her. "Mrs. Tyler, I would be honoured and yes, I have business which requires my presence here for a few months at the very minimum." He then directed his gaze at Rose. "I can't imagine a lovelier guide."

Rose tried to school her face so that her internal unhappiness did not show. "Well, Mr. Harkness…"

"Jack," he corrected with a flirtatious smile.

"Uh Jack, I'm in school and have a job so I'm not sure how much I can…"

Jackie smiled and kicked her under the table. "Your course is online, you can do the work any time and that job is just some busy work. I mean you could do so much better than some dusty boring museum."

Rose shot her mother an annoyed look. "School comes first and I love my job which is not dusty or boring."

"It wouldn't be the first time you shoved school aside," Jackie sniffed. "Besides, it's just some History and English degree and there's no rush. You could do that any time. Jack is only going to be here for a few months."

"Mum, I'm really not gonna have this discussion with you again and ruin Mr. Harkness' meal," Rose said whilst still trying to smile and not cause a scene.

"He told you to call him Jack and I don't see why you're being so stubborn or rude. It's not like you didn't toss it all away for _him_ " Jackie said with derision, unwilling to let the matter go.

Rose's father, Pete, cleared his throat. "I'm sure Rose will find…"

"This has nothing to do with him and you know it," Rose interrupted, now tired of playing the demure daughter.

"Him?" Jack asked with raised eyebrows after watching the two women butt heads. He hadn't wanted to have dinner with the Tylers that night. It was a bit too much British classism for him but his assistant convinced him that Pete Tyler would be a good contact and possible investor. Then, there was his lovely if not a bit notorious daughter, Rose. After watching things heat up, Jack was intrigued. Rose Tyler was not the typical social butterfly or jaded blue blood. In fact, she appeared surprisingly grounded and a bit interesting.

"Her ex husband, some playboy after her money who we sent packing and good riddance. He took advantage of her when she was young but we took care of it. He was nothing like you Mr. Harkness, refined, groomed and understanding of social propriety," Jackie continued, not paying attention to how her words effected her daughter.

Rose had heard enough. Her mother was always harping on her about her marriage and how they had to bail her out and it was them who took care of everything whilst Rose ran off on her silly jaunt around the world. Her mother had never approved the Doctor and had constantly criticized Rose about it. That didn't stop after the divorce only now it was usually focused on what she wore, her flat, her school and her job. Her mum wanted her to instead move back home and attend more social affairs, go to the club or take some honorary position at her father's company. Her mother didn't oppose education but thought that Rose's choice was a waste and wasn't like she was going to be a doctor or a solicitor or something more important.

Rose stood up and turned to Jack Harkness. "Mr. Harkness, Jack, I'm sorry but I have to leave. Maybe we could talk later and I could suggest a few places you might enjoy visiting."

Jack stood up as well, thoroughly enchanted by this spirited woman who was nothing like he expected. He nodded his head and reached out shake her hand, interest reflected in his eyes. "I'd like that, Rose Tyler. I have a feeling you and I are going to be good friends."

"Rose!" her mother said in tight voice. "What do you think you're doing? People are staring."

Rose looked back at her mother sitting and twisting her napkin under the table. "I think I'm leaving while I still have a bit of dignity. When you decide you respect my choices instead of airing your problems with my choices in front of nice people like Mr. Harkness, you can call and apologize." She turned to her father. "Dad, it was nice seeing you. Hope you have a nice dinner."

"Pete, did you hear how she just spoke to me?" Jackie asked, her face red with anger.

Pete smiled and looked up at his daughter who looked a little nervous. "Yes I did, and I'm proud of her. It's about time she stood up for herself. And it's also about time we let her make her own choices and stop trying to make them for her. She's smart and capable of making her own way. Good night, sweetheart. Call if you need anything."

Rose smiled brightly and walked out of that restaurant with her head held high. She rang up Amy and met her at their favorite Chinese hole in the wall restaurant where they giggled, gossiped. Amy even ordered a bottle of saki to celebrate Rose finally standing up to her mum. Little did Rose know that someone else was in that posh restaurant that night and watched her with Jack Harkness and her parents. This person was going to use what he saw to twist the knife into her ex and urge him into reacting in a career ending way.

Harry Saxon despised the Doctor and all the acclaim and love he received. Jonathon Ardis had won all the coveted positions and academic accolades he had wanted and he had worked toward taking the arrogant git down a notch or two. It had started by poking holes in his marriage but now, now he could use the sorry Doctor's pain against him. He smirked. This was going to be too easy, just as easy as planting doubts in the stupid little blonde bit's simpleton mind.


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor almost felt sorry for the students in Rose's class. His assignments had been brutal and pushed the limits of an introductory course. Of course, he had enjoyed ripping apart her first paper. It wasn't like he was being too hard. He knew she was capable of better. At least, that's what he used to defend the resounding D he gave her. He smirked as he sat back in his chair. Of course, he'd given her the option of improving said grade if she wanted to come to his office and defend her paper. He rather liked the idea of her coming there, to where he had firm standing, where he controlled things rather than her family. Part of him was curious to see what her arguments would be and part of him felt superior and that she couldn't possibly defend shoddy work. She never contacted him.

It puzzled him how she could allow the grade to stand. Didn't she care how it would effect her over all course grades? Was this some game to her, wasting the schools time and resources on someone who obviously was just coasting and taking the place of another student who really needed and wanted to be there? It infuriated him and without another thought he shot off and email to her counselor expressing his opinion that she wasn't trying and he felt her failure was imminent. He was quite surprised the next day when her counselor, Donna Noble, sent him a stern email back advising him to stick to managing his department and leave student counseling to her. Especially, when he was criticizing a student as bright as Rose Tyler and who had above average grades in every other course.

He paced his office and questioned his motivations, thinking about ethics and violations of privacy but then he couldn't stand it any longer and just hacked into her records. What he found, astounded him. Her transcripts from their prior school showed she had been doing well and then suddenly her grades began faltering. It was a few months after meeting him. Then, she abruptly withdrew and long before she had told him about it. Why? He couldn't help but wonder. He wracked his brain but could find no evidence indicating anything wrong and she never said a word. Her records showed she had enrolled in this present school six months prior and was doing well although she had retaken some basic courses and struggled a bit. She hadn't struggled before when she'd taken those courses at their prior university.

It was a mystery, a puzzle he had to understand. What was going on that society addled brain of hers? He tugged at his hair as he thought on this and then kicked himself for spending so much time on _her._ What did he care? She'd used and abused him. Whatever hardships she endured or problems she faced were probably her own doing. If anything, he should be happy to see her suffer the way he had when he was handed the divorce complaint and had to sit in silence in the flat that was once theirs. He had suffered whilst she ran off. This was just payback. That was all. An alarm sounded reminding him of his date with Joan Redfern, who taught Organic Chemistry and Forensic Chemistry. He preened in front of a mirror and smiled. Joan Redfern was no Rose Tyler. She was educated, a woman who knew what she wanted and best of all, was honest.

The Doctor was bored less than an hour into his date. He hadn't thought about how dry dating a colleague could be, the topics of the conversation being work, work and more work with a little university gossip thrown in for good measure. Joan was a lovely woman, an intellectual and driven but she lacked that element of fun he enjoyed. Jeanette had been more fun and less practicality, more focused on the pleasures of life. That had worn thin quickly. There had been others in between but most had been casual or drunken one night stands intended to mask his broken heart. Looking at Joan, and discussing the dry topic of whether or not he was going to participate in the latest dark matter work at the Soudan Underground Laboratory in America, made him realize this was not what he wanted. Of course, they ended the night with passionate snogging which was sort of his calling card but that's where it ended.

The next day he ran into Harry Saxon and that's where things heated up. Harry revealed the gory details of how he saw Rose out at an expensive restaurant with that tech pirate, the wealthy and good looking Jack Harkness. It made the Doctor's blood boil. He knew all about Harkness who was alleged to be a clever and crafty business man but had a reputation for stealing what he couldn't buy. Harry took pleasure in talking about how Harkness was staying in London for a while and it looked like the Tabs would be hounding him and the perky blonde socialite.

The Doctor bristled at this. He never liked how Harry talked about Rose but he hated even more that _she_ would date some pretty, immoral corporate crook and probably because mummy and daddy approved. It was enough to set him off again. The fact that he had shagged several women since their divorce without a care in the world for what _she_ thought didn't enter the picture. This was about him holding the moral high ground which he convinced himself was the case. Meanwhile, Saxon stood back smiling as he stirred up his volatile friend. It wouldn't be long now.

Dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Jack Harkness was not stuffy. That was Rose's first assessment after taking him on the standard tourist walking tour. In fact, by the end of the afternoon, she found herself laughing more than she had in over a year. Jack was fun, flirty and had a ribald sense of humour. He might be rich and a keen businessman but he remembered his roots. He was a self-made millionaire and he took nothing for granted. He passed the Rose Tyler test when she took him to her favourite chippy and he ordered for both of them and ordered her favourite.

They went out the following night with her friends, Amy and Rory. Jack flirted with everyone even making Rory blush which Rose found greatly amusing. Jack and Amy burned up the dance floor and they all had a great evening with Jack returning each of them home in his limo. He was the perfect gentlemen walking her up to her door and kissing her good night on the cheek, never trying to push anything more.

It was a few days later they met for lunch at Rose's favourite Indian restaurant that Jack learned more about Rose. She looked unhappy, angry and frustrated when she walked in and sat down.

"So what's wrong?" he asked as he ordered her a glass of wine.

Rose swept her hair back nervously and looked at Jack, sitting in just his shirtsleeves and looking at her expectantly. Her wine arrived and she sipped it as if it would erase her unhappiness. "It's my ex," she finally confessed.

"Your ex-husband?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, he's a bit bitter and resentful of me."

"And what? He bothering you? Want me to have a word with him?"

"What? No!" Rose said emphatically.

"It's just…" She sighed. "He's one my professors at school. He made sure I was switched to his class. He's sort of the head of the department and is using it to torment me."

"That doesn't sound ethical to me," Jack responded, feeling annoyed and a bit protective. He liked Rose. She was nice, fun and he genuinely had a good time with her. They hadn't exactly had sparks fly between them but he wouldn't turn her down if she wanted a good recreational shag. Jack didn't believe there was just one kind of relationship. You could love someone without being in love and didn't need to be in love to express affection or extend that relationship into a physical one.

"It's not but there's nothing I can do about and I'm not quitting. I did enough of that when I married him. This is my chance to finish what I started and I won't let him stop me."

"So what's he doing exactly?" Jack asked, a plan formulating in his mind. He might need to have a talk with this ex-husband of hers. It wasn't like he hadn't persuaded other bullies to lay off of people he cared about and right now Rose Tyler was definitely in that category.

"My first paper, he was a bit critical, said I was being a lazy student and gave me a D. He said I could come into his office and argue it if I wanted but there was no way I was doing that. I know he just wanted me to come in there so he could lord his brilliance over me and show me what a…" She didn't finish the sentence and just stared at her wine.

Jack reached across the table and took her hand. "Rose, you are not dumb. Don't ever let anyone make you think that. Don't give him that power over you."

Rose looked at Jack and smiled. "I know. I honestly ignored it and moved on, worked harder and submitted my next paper but he did the same thing. He said it was obvious I was trying waste his time but I didn't. I did my best and I have all the research to back it up. He's just being a prick and trying to ruin things for me. He blames me for our marriage falling apart. The lying cheating git!"

Jack sat back as their lunch was delivered. As they ate, Jack thought about Rose's situation. He had done a little research and knew about Rose's past. Rose and her professor's relationship had splashed across the Tabs including the divorce and his affair with Jeanette Poisson. It was suggested he had been cheating on Rose the whole time. Jack didn't believe everything in the Tabs but he knew something wasn't right. He couldn't imagine Rose with some smooth talking playboy out to use her. She was too smart for that and he didn't see this professor as the fast and loose type. He'd seen pictures of the two of them and they looked happy. The professor was kind of hot too, if Jack did say so and he was a connoisseur of such things.

"So he's trying to get your attention. Why now?"

Rose looked at him after swallowing a bit of Chicken Tikka. "I don't know. He just moved back here and thought it would be fun to make my life miserable. I wounded his enormous ego and he wants everyone to see I'm the evil one. I dunno."

Jack smiled and tapped his fingers on the table. "He still loves you."

Rose choked on her lunch and after calming down from her coughing fit, stared at Jack in disbelief. "With all due respect, how much have you had to drink? I mean he may be many things, but pining after me, not so much. It's not like I don't know what he's been up to. My mum seems to enjoy letting me know like it's some sort of _I was right dance_ and then there are the pictures. The Tabs seemed to enjoy running stories on the Vitex heiress and her shambles love life and how she married her professor who thought she was such a lame shag, he cheated on her with everyone. Even after the divorce, they ran pictures of him out with that French actress and he did not look like he was unhappy. He's been shagging his way back to London from what I hear."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Your parents didn't approve and they hired the private detective, right?"

Rose stared down at the table. "Yeah, but it goes deeper than that."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want. I just hate to see you suffer. You deserve better."

Rose looked up and smiled sadly. "Yeah, I do. It's just, it was a big mistake in my life and I can't pretend it didn't happen, that I didn't see the signs. You see, he never really talked about his past. I didn't learn that until later and not from him. He was keeping secrets. He lied to me a few times even when I confronted him and well, the differences were just too much. He was this brilliant academic and I was the society girl who didn't finish her degree. Even his friends said so. My parents found out about the flat in Paris he bought without telling me. He'd already been to Paris at least once and there were pictures with him and that Poisson woman. It was pretty clear what was happening even if he wouldn't fess up."

"I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that," Jack said with great feeling. "You know what, you need a distraction. How about we go out tonight? Dancing, drinking, fun and who knows! We'll deal with Mr. Jealous Professor tomorrow."

"Jack, that sounds lovely but I have school work and now I have to do as much extra credit as I can to catch up my grades 'cos he's not gonna stop. He's determined to see me fail."

Jack sat up. "He wants your attention. Trust me, he still has a thing for you and doesn't know how else to tell you. He wants you in his office for a reason. You never really talked to him after the divorce, did you?"

"Are you kidding me! No! I was…I was hurt and didn't need him shoving it in my face or trying to twist things around like he does. He's really brilliant and good at talking and twisting words to make things in his favour. Besides, I was in a poor way and I just couldn't."

"But now is different," Jack reasoned. "Rose, do you still care for him?"

Rose flinched. "No, course not. What kind of idiot would I have to be to care about some bloke who cheated on me and then publicized it."

Jack sat back with a knowing smile. Well, that had been revealing. No wonder she'd so easily turned him down and he'd been unable to charm her like he did every other man or woman. Whether she knew it or not, Rose had some unresolved feelings for her ex. Maybe they both needed one final shag to get out of their systems. He knew that had helped him with his last relationship. Then again, Rose was a special girl. She'd been hurt and didn't need any more pain inflicted upon her, especially by some fast talking lothario who'd made her to feel less than the brilliant woman she was. It was an interesting problem but solving problems was what Jack did best. His business here in London was going well and honestly he was a bit bored.

A night on the town would be good for Rose, loosen her up a little and maybe he could find out more about this Dr. Ardis, find out what his real intentions were.

Dwdwdwdwdwdw

Rose had to work double time on her homework that afternoon. Jack had insisted that dressed or not, she was going out and he didn't have any issues with underdressed or un-dressed Rose. It was so typically the Jack she had come to know. He was such a flirt but not in the same way as her ex. Jack was open and honest. He made clear he was open to anything, no strings attached and he'd certainly lived that lifestyle with great abandon. Jack was also smart and a saavy businessman. Rose had read an article in the London Business News about what a keen negotiator he was and how he had just closed on a joint venture with the Torchwood Institute. But, social Jack was anything but a cutthroat businessman. Rose was charmed by him and enjoyed his friendship and she did consider him a friend.

There was nothing you couldn't talk to Jack about. But friendship was where it stopped. He had mentioned that friends with benefits was always on the table. Rose had giggled about that but wasn't interested. She had indulged in a drunken one night stand one a month after her divorce was final and hadn't been happy about it the next day. She wasn't ashamed but it wasn't what she was looking for either. Casual shagging was off the table. Rose had thought she found what she was looking for with the Doctor and that had turned out to be a lie. Now, she was suspicious and cautious. She led a simple life and focused on her schoolwork determined not to allow her heart to overrule her head ever again.

Soon, there was pounding on her door. Rose hopped over to it, one stiletto boot on and one in her hand and opened the door to find Amy in a lime green sleeveless mini dress with Rory next to her in an orange polyester shirt, slightly unbuttoned to reveal gold chains around his neck and bell bottom trousers. He shook his head. "Blame Amy and Jack. They chose the retro 60s and 70s club."

Rose laughed and showed them her Mary Quant white and black striped mini skirt paired with the hot pink sleeveless top, with her white boots, her hair big and poufy and with thick black eyelashes.

"I loooove it!" Amy exclaimed and the two women giggled and jumped up and down. Jack came out in his white suit, black silk shirt, gold chains around his neck, a white hat on his head.

"Ladies! The night awaits!"

The four them, along with Rose's friends, Martha and Mickey and a few friends Jack had made in London, Ianto, Gwen and Toshiko, all went to the Cocoba Club. There was pounding music from the 60s and 70s playing and the drinks flowed. It took a while but Rose finally loosened up. After a few mai tais, she lost her boots and was dancing on a table to _Super Freak_ with Amy and Gwen who she soon became fast friends with. Gwen had on black satin hot pants with a beaded yellow and black top and the three women were gaining in popularity that night. Rose didn't miss how Ianto was giving Jack some lingering looks. Toshiko had sat quietly at the table until she was hauled out onto the dance floor by a rather brash thin man with brown hair who seemed to have sex god complex.

As the evening progressed, Rose drunkenly confessed to a crowd on the dance floor that she was done with men; that her ex was a cheating wanker who broke her heart and he could have all the French bints he wanted! Several people cheered her on and one asked how she felt about women. Rose just giggled and shimmied her hips to the beat of the music. She was bouncing and dancing, shaking her hair loose when a hand reached up and shifted her around. It was the Doctor and next to him was a perky brunette who she later learned was named Clara.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded, his voice seething as he looked her up and down, his gaze lingering on her chest.

"Oh gawd! It's Mister I shagged the French actress of my dreams!" she shouted drunkenly.

"Look at you!" he spit out. "Pissed again only this time making an even bigger spectacle of yourself. And what do you care who I shagged, I was divorced and free of you!"

She snorted. "That's rich you…you liary liar," she slurred. "You think I wouldn't find out, about you and Paarrrriiiiss. Ha! Gawd you really thought you were so much better than me and that I was too stupid to catch on. Welll Dr. Arses, I was spishes. You and all your snooty professor friends sittin' round laughin' at how your daft wife esss too stupid to know anything! Well, showed you! I knew. Yes I did. Never told me nothing, kept pushin' me off like I was too dumb. Found you out! You, lyin' cheatin manwhore! Well ya know what! Fuck you! Go on and try and lord your stupid professor degrees over me and fail me. You can't stop me! You and all your snarky friends. Not this time! I'm gonna grad-ju-ate," she announced poking a very stunned Doctor in the chest.

"Dr. Ardis?" an equally stunned Clara asked. She was his graduate assistant and had asked a huge favour of him. Her sister had forced her to agree to come out but she didn't want to go and was banging her head on a wall when Professor Ardis had asked what was wrong. She begged for his help, to do her this one favour so she wouldn't be stuck in the club with her sister and being embarrassed. He didn't want to agree but felt sorry for her and gallantly accompanied her. Now, she suddenly found herself in the middle of this drama with her Professor in a shouting match with some strange blonde. This did not bode well for the evening or perhaps even her grades. Dr. Ardis ignored her and Clara fretted about what to do next.

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor demanded. "I never lied to you and never called you stupid and what do you mean my professor friends?"

By this time Gwen and Amy had rushed over and stood by Rose. "Oh look it's Mr. I am going to manipulate my Ex's friends to get dirt on her!" Amy shouted.

The Doctor took a step back away from her. Amy smiled.

"Yeah, it's my cheating ex, the chief wanker of any wanker that wanked!" Rose shouted. "He's come here to…to try and convince everyone what a bitch I am so he can walk around feeling all superior like, so he can go pull more women into thinking he's so grand! Like he didn't break my heart and stomp all over it with that French bint!"

"You are beyond pissed and embarrassing yourself," the Doctor said in a tight voice. "And you are leaving now!" He grabbed her hand and started yanking her off the dance floor whilst Amy and Gwen grabbed her other arm instigating a tug of war. Until, Jack stepped in.

"All right, let's everyone calm down." He turned to the Doctor. "You, let the lady go."

The Doctor looked Jack up and down and flew into a rage. "You're the reason she's like this! Look at her!" the Doctor commanded as Rose fell to the floor, struggling to get back up.

Jack looked at Rose struggling up with the help of Amy and Gwen and turned back to the Doctor. "Yeah, she was having a good time. She needed it. Apparently, her ex-husband is trying to sabotage her education, trying to inflict more pain on a girl who's already suffered and is trying to get her life back together."

"Don't!" the Doctor warned, his eyes black with fury. "You stay out of this and away from her. This is between Rose and I."

Jack wasn't at all worried and was at ease, refusing to be intimidated. He'd faced off against worse than this Doctor and survived to tell the tale. "I don't think you're hearing me. Rose is a friend. She'd be more than a friend if it wasn't for you butting into her life," Jack taunted. "You had your chance and blew it. You want another chance, well, blackmailing her over grades and making nasty remarks isn't the way to get it. Besides, you have no say on her life anymore. If Rose needs a night out to relax and have a little fun, I'm making it happen." Jack looked over Rose who looked at him and shook her head no. He turned back to the Doctor with a smile. "I think it's time for you leave now and I have a party to get back to and a hot blonde to show some new moves. Excuse me," he said and winked.

It was like dark clouds descended and the proverbially lightning storm obscured all reasonable thought and the Doctor just reacted. Before anyone could do anything there was a loud crack when the Doctor's fist hit Jack's face. Ianto and Rory ran up and Ianto jumped on the Doctor whilst Rory saw to Jack. Chaos erupted in the club. People were screaming, running and bouncers were making their way over to the fighting. Soon it was an all-out drunken brawl.

Jack ran over and threw a confused and pissed out of her mind Rose over his shoulder. "Time to leave," he announced and started to make his way toward the exit in the back of the club.

"Rose!" the Doctor called out and tried to follow as he watched Jack carry her out fireman style. Once again, fury almost overwhelmed him.

"Dr. Ardis!" Clara called and punched his arm and then grabbed him. We have to leave now!"

By then, the police arrived and began arresting people. There was also, of course, the paparazzi outside who snapped several great pictures of Jack carrying Rose away and of the Doctor being marched out by the police with the beginnings of a black eye. This was not the night any of them planned.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of a night of drinking, dancing and brawling

Rose awakened to an annoying ringing noise. It drilled right through her head and in particular behind her eyes. Her mouth was another matter and might be described as a disgusting wasteland. Somehow the mobile ended up in her hand and she dragged it across the bed to her ear.

"Uhhhh," she moaned into it.

"Rose? Sweetheart, are you all right?" her father asked.

That made her eyes squint open. "Dad? What…what time is it?"

She sat up, only to feel her head explode and her stomach do terrible things, things that did not bode well for the future and she lay right back down. "Rose, you haven't been online or seen the paper yet have you?" he asked. Rose tried to focus on his words whilst hearing her mother shriek in the background about telling him to congratulate his daughter at finally putting Paris Hilton to shame with her drunken partying.

"Dad," she started to say and winced and looked down at herself to find she was still in the clothes from the prior night except her shoes were missing and someone had written _call Jack_ on her arm. "What's…I mean why should I see the paper and what's mum going on about?"

Her father sighed. "You went out last night?"

Rose swallowed hard and rubbed her face. "Yeah, Jack took me and some friends out."

"Jack Harkness," her father said with a hard edge to his voice.

"Yeah, Mum wanted me to take 'im around remember? Turns out he's not such a bad bloke."

She could hear her father grinding his teeth as her mother shouted. "Give me that phone and I'll wake her up!"

Her father replied in a tight voice. "That's enough. You sent her out with Harkness."

She could listened as her mother sighed, defending herself and something that sounded like, well off, respected and their babies would have had blue eyes.

"Rose, stay inside today. The Paps…they have snagged some pictures of you and…Harkness as well as…well, let's not go there just yet," he sighed.

Rose focused then. There was a club, drinking dancing and…Oh. It was fuzzy but she distinctly remembered the angry face of her ex and maybe her calling him a manwhore then fighting and everything sort of went black.

"Dad, um what pictures."

"I'll handle it," was his reply.

"Dad, you better tell me 'cos I'm gonna turn on my laptop and find out anyways."

Then he told her about the pictures of Jack carrying her out of the club with her smiling, singing and waving to people. There was a fight and the police showed up and arrested people including Rory, Amy and her ex who looked like he'd been in the middle of the fight. Her stomach dropped. "Dad, I'll have to call you back."

Rose soon found herself becoming much better acquainted with the loo, and crawling to the kitchen for water and paracetamol. She called Jack only to have him knocking on her door a few minutes later. Apparently, he had worried when he didn't hear from her and was already on his way over. He forced her to drink down some awful hangover cure he made and then she burst into tears. He held her as they sat on the floor in front of the sofa.

"My life's shit," she moaned.

"No, it's not," Jack promised. He was in quite good shape considering the drinking and getting socked in the face.

"I went out, got pissed, got in a fight with my ex calling him a wanker and manwhore, caused a brawl and then the whole thing was captured on film. My Mum's ready to tear me a new one and Dad…well Dad's not pleased. Then, there's small issue with my ex trying to flunk me out and oh yeah, there was supposed to be a test today which I'm missing 'cos I feel like the bottom of a cab. And I have to be at work a few hours looking horrid. My life is shit."

Jack laughed and hugged her. "Well yeah, you got pissed and there was a fight but that wasn't your fault. That was your idiot ex's fault. He threw the first punch."

Rose sat up and looked at Jack, her brow furrowed. "Jack, my ex might be a randy, cheating wanker but he would never start a fight. I mean talk someone into submission or into thumping him yeah, but actually assault someone, no."

"Exhibit A," Jack pointed to his slightly bruised and swollen face.

Rose's mouth dropped open. "The Doctor punched you in the face?" When Jack just continued to point, Rose first was shocked and then felt horrible for Jack. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I can't believe he did that! I mean he never was that way with me." She then insisted on making an ice pack. As she gently pressed it to Jack's face, she couldn't help but think that although she was married to him for a year, she really didn't know the Doctor at all.

"You know he punched me over you," Jack revealed. "Told you, he still loves you. A man doesn't start a brawl like that for no reason. Of course, I might have pushed him a bit as a test. Just didn't think he could hit that hard. At least he missed my nose. It would have been a shame to destroy this profile," Jack teased.

Rose smiled and shook her head. "I can't believe he did that. It's so out of character for him. I mean when we were married, he'd see blokes flirt with me and make some joke and that would be it. It never even seemed to bother him."

"He was sure then. You were married so he didn't have to worry."

Rose looked over at him. What Jack said made sense but he was the Doctor was the one that cheated on her. "I dunno Jack, guess he thinks he can do what he wants but I'm supposed to sit in some room pining away for him and not supposed to have my own life."

Jack put a hand on her shoulder. "Rose, look I don't know him but from what I saw last night, that was a man protecting his territory. You might be divorced but that that doesn't mean he doesn't still see you as his or care for you."

Rose didn't want to talk about this. She'd spent months getting over the Doctor and all of this was teetering on softening her heart and that would be very bad. "Jack, Dad said Amy and Rory were arrested. I really need to bail 'em out since this was partially my fault."

"Already done. Did it first thing, your ex too."

Rose's eyes widened and any hangover symptoms she had been feeling evaporated. "What? Why? I mean he hit you."

Jack shrugged. "It was the right thing to do. Everyone deserves a second chance. Even arrogant university professors who think they know everything but have to learn the hard way they don't."

Rose just stared at him in shock. He smiled "Well he's kind of cute and has a nice arse too. That might have softened me up a bit." He then winked at her and suggested getting a bite to eat might help get her energy up for her job. Jack also suggested she not worry too much about that test as he knew for a fact Dr. Ardis had far more pressing matters on his mind.

Dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

The Doctor sat in his flat with a bag of frozen peas on his blackening eye. He wasn't entirely sure where the frozen peas came from but assumed his housekeeper must have thought it something all bachelors should have in their freezer. A bit odd that. Still, it was handy. He sighed as he thought about the previous night's events. He hadn't wanted to go to that wretched club but Clara was one of his brighter students and she had begged and promised to help him with some papers.

Seeing Rose out there dancing, smiling and looking so alive had just hit him wrong. It wasn't even the type of place she would normally go much less bounce around dressed like that and it she was clearly inebriated. Not that it mattered to him, but she shouldn't be acting that way. She was far too mature for that and after all, she was his student. He had a responsibility to make sure she didn't violate any student codes.

He stared across the room of his plain, boring flat that lacked any of the touches of home he'd once enjoyed. Who was he kidding? The truth was seeing her like that, so free and dancing had struck a chord in him and when he realized how drunk she was, he snapped. Even though completely pissed and barely able to stand, he'd seen a fire unleashed in her and oh did she unleash it. Part of it was a load of rubbish. At first, he thought it was due to her inebriated state but then he'd realized, she really believed what she was saying. At last, he was getting the truth even if it was slurred and laced with obscenities.

He thought over everything she said. There was a definite accusation of cheating and clearly she thought he was having an affair with Jeanette during their marriage. The Tabs had played off that lie during the divorce but that was just the Tabs trying to sell magazines. Now he wondered. She also mentioned Paris. But why? She knew he was going to lecture there and yes he'd run into Jeanette but it was in public and never went beyond lunch. It was completely innocent…

Then a thought occurred to him. "Oh no. Ohhhhhh I am such an idiot!" He smacked his head. He had been so shocked at her abrupt departure, refusal to speak to him and him feeling betrayed, he didn't think about it. The flat in Paris. It was supposed to be a surprise. He had been offered a teaching position and wanted to surprise her with a long weekend away and…now things were making sense.

He had kept it secret while he worked out the details, trying to make arrangements and she must have found out. But still, how had she jumped to the conclusion he was having an affair? She should know better than that, her more than most people with her family's experience with the press.

Then he had another epiphany: her bloody busy body family. Jacqueline Tyler had never liked him ever since he refused to bow down and attend some polo match or allow her to send him off to some tailor to make him what she deemed appropriate clothing. She also insulted his trainers at one point which was further indication to him that she had drawn battle lines between them. It was a war she wanted to win and would use any methods to achieve victory. He stood up, peas still on his face and began pacing. Oh but his instincts were screaming at him about this. The Doctor was not a betting man but he wagered that Jackie Tyler had been feeding his wife information, scandalously wrong information about him and a flat in Paris.

Still, was that all it took to shake Rose's faith in him? Then another piece of drunken Rose's rant flashed in his brain. She said his professor friends thought she was dumb. Why would she say that? He'd never heard any of his colleagues speak badly of her or talk down to her. Concern grew as he thought of her withdrawing from school combined with this allegation. She called his colleagues snarky. Had someone said something to her? Surely, she would have mentioned it to him.

A tiny voice whispered a word in his mind: insecurity. "No, it can't be that," he said and paced some more. He wouldn't have been with her if he didn't find her brilliant. Yet, she kept referencing how he never told her things or pushed her off like she was too dumb or that he'd lorded his knowledge over her. He stopped dead still as the pieces clicked into place. This was his fault and hers and theirs. It cut him to the core to realize that he wasn't brilliant at everything. He'd failed at one very basic thing: communication. All his degrees, doctorates and accolades and he couldn't even talk to the one person who meant most to him.

That was at the core of his marriage's failure. Others may have contributed, her mum and perhaps university gossip or one of his colleagues making some observation that hurt her and he really was going to find out more on that part. He couldn't do much about her family but he could and should have kept her protected from his own friends and colleagues. Thinking back, he remembered a few days of odd behaviour when she'd seemed sad and which he'd never questioned or only half-heartedly asked if she was all right. Her response had been to run away and take a holiday. He'd just embraced the idea without much thought. It should have been obvious but he didn't see it.

Now she was back at school again and he had made things worse, interfering and making her life harder than it needed to be. He walked into his kitchen and tried to make tea, thinking about her, how hard she was working and how he had used his authority to try and force a confrontation because he had wanted to see her again. Well, he got what he wanted, the truth. It didn't make things any better. In fact, he felt worse.

Jack Harkness' words at the police station rang in his mind, about how daft he was and how second chances were rare. He couldn't think too much about Harkness or his advice just yet. He was still too stunned the man had bailed him out. But still, Harkness did make one important point: he had another chance with Rose.

It was the only bright side to the whole nightclub mess. He and Rose had so much they needed to talk about, them, their lives, how they'd come to this point and…the future. Despite the hurt, pain, feelings of betrayal and obvious faults in their marriage, he still wanted to be with her, still…loved her. He swallowed hard at that. As much as he'd denied it, raged about her, cursed her and blamed her, it was because love didn't just disappear overnight. Especially, not a love like he felt for _her_.

He smiled when he remembered their first date, the awkwardness but that feeling of belonging of rightness. They fit together in a way few people knew. He couldn't let go of that and he hoped that she wouldn't either.

A warm feeling of pride enveloped him when he thought about how passionate she was in that club and her drunken ranting at him. Oh that fire in her eyes was amazing and he'd missed it. The kettle whistle startled him and he poured it over the Earl Grey in his mug. Perhaps it was no accident she was his student, or that they kept running into each other. Maybe, fate was real and their fate was to make things right. He dumped cream and copious amounts of sugar in his tea, remembering how she used to tease him. One sip and he felt a bolt of confidence. He had to talk to her that day.

As he contemplated his next move, his mobile rang. He looked at the number and cursed. He'd missed a department meeting and a couple of classes. He answered and wished he hadn't. It was bad. His assistant called to advise him he was expected in an hour and to prepare himself as pictures of he and Clara being arrested had been published and someone had delivered the paper to the President of the university. He groaned. This was the last thing he needed. He stared at his mobile. It was both the worst day of his life and possibly the best, that is, if it gave him a second chance with Rose.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Rose was at work when Clara showed up. She stared at Clara for a moment trying to place her as Clara waved and smiled at her. Then it clicked, the Doctor's date. Rose drooped and wondered again why she bore such punishment as having to be civil to her ex's new girlfriend.

"Can I help you?" Rose asked, trying to be cheerful but not feeling like it. Even with Jack's miracle hangover cure, she was still too wilted to deal with someone like Clara.

"Uh hello, um I'm Clara, Clara Oswald. Not sure if you remember me. From last night I mean. At the club? You were a bit…"

"Pissed out of my mind," Rose inserted. "Yeah, I sort of remember you, the Doctor's date."

"Date?" Clara asked confused. "Oh no, no, no. Not a date, nope! Furthest thing from dating. I mean Professor Ardis, he's my professor. I mean, I couldn't and wouldn't. No, not date. He was only doing me a favour and then well you…and he…oh this isn't going well, is it?" she asked.

Rose sighed. Clara didn't look like a bad person. In fact, she was nervous and sort of adorable. Not at all the Doctor's type. She stood before Rose dressed in a cardigan, plaid skirt and boots fidgeting.

"Look Clara, I don't care what you get up to with the Doctor. He's not my husband anymore and free to do whatever with whoever he wants. So, why are you here?"

"Oh you have it all wrong. I mean, he's my mentor and that's it. It's like I said, he was only there as a favour to help get me out of having to stay. My sister made me go and she's a bit of cow really. Not that I don't love my sister, but she's bossy and annoying and did I say bossy?"

Rose nodded but didn't understand where this was going.

"Anyway, after your, you know with the Professor and the fight, we were sort of arrested."

"Yeah, I heard that," Rose answered, crossing her arms.

"That was bad, very, very bad and there were pictures and those pictures…oh someone made sure the President of the University got them and now both the Professor and I are in trouble."

Rose stared at Clara, feeling for the girl. Nothing was worse than being the subject of University gossip or scandal. She knew that first hand and especially around the Doctor who never seemed to be the one blamed. Those stuck up academics always made sure to protect their own and make the students the scapegoat. "I'm sorry, but what's that got to do with me?"

"You were there. You could testify and help prove that there was no impropriety. Please. If they fire Professor Ardis, it would be bad for me and I'm so close to being done. And, after all he was only there as a favour and you look like a nice person. Please. Help."

Rose looked into Clara's brown eyes and with her looking so desperate and afraid, Rose cracked. "Bugger, I'm so gonna regret this. Look, I'll do what I can but honestly, they might toss me out too. My picture ended up in the Tabs as well and it wasn't pretty."

Clara threw herself at Rose thanking her over and over again and insisting they had to leave now. "I can't, I have a job," Rose reminded Clara who looked devastated. Dr. Mott who had been watching the drama unfold walked over.

"Go on Rose. I know you had a rough night and things are quiet here. Besides, I think this young lady needs help not unlike another certain young lady who arrived here one day asking for me to give her a chance. I did and I didn't regret it."

Rose smiled at her elderly boss with the twinkling blue eyes. "Thanks, Dr. Mott."

Grabbing her coat, she was soon off with Clara and thinking about the Doctor. Even in her inebriated state, she didn't miss the shock on his face when she'd confronted him. It hadn't looked like the shock of a man caught in a lie. It looked like surprise at what she'd said, at the accusation. It made Rose think about things and wonder about him, his lies and his secrets. Had she been wrong? No, she hadn't been wrong about their marriage failing. Even if he never touched Jeanette which she found hard to believe, he still deceived her and made her to feel less and she wasn't. She didn't deserve that.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Jonathon and Rose talking. The review committee makes a decision and we learn what happened when Jack bailed Jonathon out of jail.

Rose and Clara arrived just as the review committee had been assembled to discuss the Doctor's notorious night and any ethical violations he may have committed. He was sitting in a waiting area, black eye prominent against his pale freckled face, dressed in his typical suit and tugging nervously at his ear. Rose smoothed her hair and sweater dress and walked over to sit next to him.

"Rose," he whispered surprised.

"Clara asked me to come by and help. She seems to think I can testify as a witness on your behalf. Not sure about that but Clara seems nice and I don't want to see anything bad happen to her."

"Thank you," he answered softly. "I…Rose, I heard what you said in the club, even if it was a bit colourful."

Rose squeezed her eyes shut. "Um about that, part of it I don't regret saying but anything like manwhore might have been the mai tais talkin."

He couldn't help but smile. "I figured out that much." His smile faded. "I think I figured out much more than that and I'm sorry it took this long. You'd think someone with my impressive intellect would have picked up on a few things but, no I didn't."

Rose nodded. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry, Rose, I'm so sorry we didn't talk. When we were married, I mean. We didn't talk about what was important and it, well it…"

"Destroyed our marriage," she finished.

He just stared at her and for the first time in a long time, really looked at her and could see the pain. If he was suffering, so was she. It wasn't all just him and that had never occurred to him before all this. It was yet another failure on his part. "I can't deny it. It's the truth. I loved you and still do and I know now that part of what destroyed us was ourselves."

Rose looked at him and a light lit her eyes. She couldn't believe he'd just admitted that. Her own heart beat just a little faster and she had to remind herself he'd still cheated and nothing had really changed even if he was taking responsibility now.

"I may have not communicated well, may have kept some things to myself but I never cheated on you. I never touched Jeanette until after we were divorced," he said in an emotional voice as if reading her mind.

She stared into his brown eyes that looked moist with emotion. "There were pictures in Paris and you bought a flat and disappeared and wouldn't tell me anything and then Mum hired a detective…" she defended.

"I did go to Paris and I did buy a flat but it was meant to be ours. I ran into Jeanette by accident. I know it looks bad but I swear to your Rose, I swear to you on every bit of love I have for you that I did not have an affair. I don't care what some detective says. It's a lie," he affirmed, his eyes boring into hers.

Did she believe him? She wasn't sure. She wanted to but yet there had been so many secrets between them. "So you're saying that Mum twisted the truth?"

"I'm saying that someone based an opinion on what they thought they saw and not the facts, the truth. Your mother never did like me. She must have danced in glee at the circumstantial evidence but what I don't understand is why you just accepted it without any proof."

Rose felt her temper flash. "Proof? My husband was sneaking off to Paris, lying to me about working and when I confronted him bit my head off and accused me of interrogating him. That combined with the detective stuff and your prat of friend Harry calling me up telling me all sorts of things about you and basically telling me I was just a bit of skirt and nothing more because you were too…"

"Hold on!" the Doctor bit out interrupting her. "What do you mean Harry? As in Harry Saxon?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Not that he was the only one that liked cutting me down or making sure I felt…" Rose stopped and stared at the floor.

The Doctor at this point was furious. Oh he knew he was responsible for his marriage's failure but the fact that one of his colleagues, a friend rang up his wife and filled her head with lies and trash talk, making her feel less than the brilliant woman he loved, that was something tangible he could vent at.

"You quit school," he said, his voice still hard and angry but not at her.

"It was easier. I loved you and didn't want to make your life hard and I just couldn't take all the gossip and insults. I'm sorry, but I couldn't. It was easier to leave."

"You never said a word to me," he replied, a bit of sadness in his voice now.

"I didn't know if maybe you really felt what they were saying and didn't want you to have to choose between me and your friends and well, it was your job. And I wasn't so sure they weren't right."

"No!" he said emphatically. "You are so much better than them. I'm sorry if I ever let you feel less than the amazing woman you are." He reached for her hand and laced his fingers with hers and for the first time in over a year, he felt somewhere near whole.

"I regret so much Rose but I will never regret marrying you. I was proud to have you as my wife and I am proud to…" He swallowed hard and before he could continue they were called into the president's office. Neither of them missed seeing a very pleased Harold Saxon leaving with a smirk on his face.

The Doctor glared at him before calming himself to face the committee. Letting his anger free reign now would not help him. He entered the President's office quietly followed by Clara and Rose. The committee tried to exclude both students but Rose spoke up and told the committee that had been assembled that both she and Clara were at the club during the questionable incident and had personal accounts that might impact the committee's inquiry. After a quiet debate, they were allowed to enter and speak.

Rose was calm, poised and articulate. She was quite frankly shocked at how poised she was. Both she and Clara had been warned that any remarks could be used as evidence against them should it be determined their actions violated the student ethics oath they had both signed as part of their enrolment. Both young women agreed and continued their testimony.

Rose answered any questions directed at her without flinching including a few targeted at her prior marriage to the Doctor and her present relationship with him. Her marriage and divorce was really none of their business and she redirected a few questions back at the committee asking why personal information was pertinent to their inquiry regarding the Doctor's actions at the club. In the end, they were attempting determine if there was a conflict of interest and if they should take action and treat her Introduction to Physics course as an incomplete forcing her to retake the course the next semester and negatively impacting her grade point average in the process. Rose stood up to them. She didn't cut the Doctor any slack but wasn't slanting her answers to harm him either. Even if her grade in that course was presently horrible, she had the rest of the semester to improve and there was no way she was retaking it and delaying her graduation. She was done allowing these academics push her around.

After she and Clara were done testifying, they were asked to leave. Rose had hugged Clara and turned to go.

"But aren't you going to stay?" Clara asked. "Don't you want to know what happens?"

Rose looked blankly across the room. It had been a long day. "Naw, I'm sure he'll be fine, he always is and I'm a bit knackered. I hope it works out for you Clara." After one more hug from Clara she left and went straight to her flat. She lay in her bed that night thinking about the Doctor and all he'd said that day about how they'd both failed their marriage. She thought about what had happened to both of them, about bitter divorces, anger, sadness and love. It all boiled down to love. Despite being exhausted, she had a hard time sleeping that night.

dwdwdwdwdwdw

The Doctor didn't lose his position although he was given a formal reprimand for conduct unbecoming a professor much less a department head. However, given it was during his time off, not on campus and as he was there attempting to assist a student in extricating herself from a clearly bad situation, that was taken into account. A few committee members found it necessary to insert some snide remarks regarding his relationship to Clara and warning him of the schools non fraternization policy. It didn't end there. More pointed comments were directed at him on the matter of his relationship with Rose. He was also suspended without pay for two weeks and warned that if there was even a hint of a repeat of his rather unprofessional behaviour, his contract would be terminated.

He thanked the committee for listening to him and understanding there were extenuating circumstances. He also asked that neither Rose nor Clara be punished as a result of the unfortunate business at the club. The committee, a group of stodgy and unyielding academics made no such promise. Clara and Rose were both placed on Academic Probation which meant their grades would be scrutinized and any had to be maintained a certain level or they faced expulsion. This didn't effect Clara as much as Rose who was skating by in his Introductory Physics course. He winced.

When he exited to find Rose gone, he felt as if someone had doused him in a bucket of ice water. Clara, was of course, relieved even if she was on probation and promised him she would make it up to him somehow. He sighed and went back to his office only to find Harold Saxon there. Immediately, he felt his temper explode.

"Harry," he snipped out.

Harry smiled broadly. "Jonathon," he almost purred. "Come to clean out your office."

That's when the Doctor knew what Harry had been trying to accomplish. "And why would I do that, Harry?" the Doctor asked as he casually strolled in around the desk, staring darkly at Harry.

"Conduct unbecoming a Professor. Tsk Tsk, Jonathon. You've been a bit naughty. The University doesn't like that, doesn't like the type of scandal you bring with you. But, that is what you do isn't it? First the little blonde piece of skirt, then the French Actress and now out clubbing and brawling with your assistant."

That's when the Doctor knew without a doubt what Harry had done to Rose. Even though he knew it was he that failed his marriage, the ultimate destruction was helped along by Harry. He felt his fists clench.

"Sorry to disappoint, but that's not what happened. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do. I'm sure that you, the good friend that you are, probably have a new scheme to hatch, trying to destroy someone's career or marriage. Maybe even both, not that you'll succeed. You see Harry, you just showed your hand to me and to the committee. I wonder if they might be looking at the person who made false accusations at one of their more esteemed professors. Maybe they'll initiate an investigation and I wonder what they'll find?" the Doctor asked darkly.

Harry looked furious. "Don't threaten me! You have only yourself to blame, you skinny, worthless, ego inflated, babbling idiot!" He leaned across the Doctor's desk seeing the Doctor almost shaking with rage. "Go on, hit me. You know you want to," Harry prodded.

The Doctor smiled coldly. "Oh I don't need to hit you, Harry. You see, I'm clever and if I wanted revenge against a conniving, little wanker like you, I'd find far more satisfying ways to get it."

Harry Saxon flushed. "This isn't the end. You don't deserve this position or any of those overblow accolades! You're nothing but a cheap fraud who flirts his way to success with nothing to back you up except some stupid little air headed heiress and you couldn't even keep her in line. We'll see how long it takes for the committee to sack you once I show them what a pathetic skirt chasing moron you are. By the time I'm done with you, there won't be any talking your way out or letting some little girlies beg for you to be saved!"

He turned to storm out only to find the door open and a group of students standing in the hall staring at him. "Out of my way or you're all failed!" he shouted and stormed off.

"Professor Ardis?" one of the young male students asked tentatively. "You all right?"

The Doctor smiled and pulled out his mobile which had accidentally been set to record the whole Saxon exchange. He tapped the recording app and smiled at his students. "Sorry, office hours are a bit off today. Give me an hour would you?"

The students nodded and wandered off whispering. The Doctor closed the door, and set to settling the score with Saxon. Oh he had the recording to prove he was threatened, but that wasn't good enough. He needed to make sure that Harry got what the manipulative and marriage destroying arsehole deserved.

A few quick keystrokes and he was hacking into one Harold Saxon's university account to make sure a few incriminating emails and some particularly nasty internet history was quite obvious to anyone who might be scrutinizing him. He covered his trail with a few layers of coding, effectively erasing his trail or at the very least, looping it back to Harry's own mobile. He then made an anonymous complaint mentioning a concerned student was standing outside the office of Dr. Ardis when he heard Professor Harry Saxon threaten Dr. Ardis. One click and vengeance was his.

But that didn't solve the worst of the Doctor's problems. There was still Rose and she was far more complicated. How did one salvage one's marriage from its still burning embers? How did you make up for over a year's worth of hurt and bitterness. He loved her and he believed she still loved him but so much had happened on both their parts. Being brilliant wasn't so important now and didn't help him mend broken hearts. This would take work.

His mind drifted back to Jack Harkness who had bailed him out of jail. That had been a shock. It was he who socked Harkness. Part of him was wincing at that. Jonathon Ardis was many things but he was never one to throw the first punch. Yet, another part of him had been very satisfied to knock the smirk off Harkness' face. The thought of him anywhere near his Rose incited a deep loathing inside of him. Of course, when Harkness' friend had jumped him and slammed a fist into his eye, there may have been a few doubts about his initial violent reaction to the American playboy.

Sitting in a jail cell trying to decide who to call and thinking about Rose, had been an experience he didn't want to repeat. When they'd released him and delivered him to a smiling Harkness who stood with Clara and two of Rose's friends, he winced. They all glared at him, except Clara who just looked worried. Apparently, Harkness bailed all of them out and sent the others on their way.

He walked up to the Doctor. "I'm thinking I am probably the last person you expected to see," Jack informed the Doctor and rubbed his jaw. "Not bad but I can tell you don't do this very often," Jack confided.

"Why?" the Doctor asked, still in a dark mood and not trusting the pretty millionaire before him.

"Rose," he answered. "I care about her and anyone can see she cares about you. Why I don't know but…to each her own. Besides, I'm not an idiot. Anyone can see you're crazy for her, even now. Why else hit me?"

The Doctor rubbed his now scruff covered face. "Sorry, I don't think I understand. You're dating Rose. You think I love her. I hit you and you bail me out? It doesn't make sense?"

Jack smiled broadly and smacked him on the arm. "You are such the clueless emotionally inept professor aren't you! Too smart for your own good. Love doesn't make sense and that's the point. It's crazy, unpredictable, it hurts and it feels amazing. As for Rose, well, it's not like I didn't try and sweep her off her feet but I think that particular heart may not be available. Doesn't mean I won't be around to help her pick up the pieces should the one who seems to own more of it than he realizes do something stupid like fail her in school or accuse her of things that aren't true."

The Doctor stared at Jack unable to formulate words which was a rare occurrence. He had just told the Doctor that Rose might still love him. It was as if some dark and heavy weight began to life off his shoulders. "But, she divorced me and accused me of being…"

Jack grinned. "A cheating manwhore, I believe. She was on a roll, our Rosie."

"She doesn't like to be called that," the Doctor corrected him. "Rose, she likes to be called Rose."

Jack nodded. "Well, I think it's past time you and Rose sat down and had a conversation."

The Doctor nodded as he stared across the room. "I don't…I don't know where she lives or even have her number anymore. She cancelled her last mobile."

"Well, this must be your lucky day." Jack whipped out his card and wrote Rose's address and mobile number on it and held it out to the Doctor.

When the Doctor reached for it, Jack whipped it back. "There are a few contingencies on my giving you this."

The Doctor scowled.

"You hurt her and you will be hearing from me and next time, I won't turn the other cheek much less bail you out."

Doctor rolled his eyes. "Yes, fine. I understand and I have no intention on hurting her…ever."

Jack held it back out and when the Doctor grabbed it, he didn't release it. "One more thing, I want an invitation to the wedding."

At this Jack had a rather smug expression as if he knew things would end this way. The Doctor sighed. "Fine. You have my word."

Jack let go of the card and patted the Doctor on the cheek. "Don't screw this up," he warned and then turned walking out of the police station whistling a happy tune.

The Doctor had been stunned by those turn of events. Never, in his wildest imagination, did he think he would run across Rose, have a drunken confrontation with her, in a club, hit her date, be arrested and then have said date bail him out and give him relationship advice. It had been a truly bizarre day. He pulled the card out of his coat pocket and stared at it. Yes, it had been a very strange day but strange in the most wonderful way. He smiled. "No more running, Rose. We only have this one life and I want to spend it with you."

The next quandary was how best to approach her. How did one convince one's ex wife that ending their marriage was a mistake and that he wanted to make things right, better and not repeat past mistakes? What was the best way to woo her the way she deserved? A cold realization blanketed him. There was no way. He couldn't do it. He slowly turned the card over to find the contact information for one Jack Harkness. At least, not without some help. "Blimey," he muttered as he picked up his mobile and stared at it.


	6. Chapter 6

Rose tossed and turned all night. Her mind was whirling from her conversation with the Doctor. He looked her in the eye swore he had been faithful. It made Rose question everything that had happened leading up to her divorce, everything she perceived and was told. She knew the primary issue was still that they hadn't talked to one another like they should but these other things, the gossip, his friends' comments, her mum and that detective report. Had things really been that twisted?

Rose hopped out of bed and went to start tea. While the water was brewing, she rifled through her old paperwork tucked away in boxes at the back of her closet. When the kettle began whistling she grabbed what she was looking for, the detective's report from her divorce. She sipped her tea and leafed through it. She leafed through a second and third time and realized, pages were missing. As she sat back thinking about that time in her life when she had been so emotional and overwrought, she realized she had made a mistake. The report sat before her almost mocking her error in judgment. She had not paid close enough attention. It wasn't about what it said but what it didn't say.

Rose quickly dressed, tucked the report into her handbag and made her way to her parents' house. Throughout the trip out to the Tyler manor, Rose tried to keep a grip on her emotions which were once again out of sorts. When she reached the house, she didn't bother ringing the doorbell but walked in. Her father looked to be on his way out the door.

"Rose? Is everything all right?" he asked, noticing that his daughter was looking a little worse for wear and especially after her night out with Jack Harkness.

"No, everything's not all right," she answered

Her Mum walked out. "Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I had not idea that Harkness man would be such a wicked influence. Don't you worry about a thing. Your Dad and I…"

"Stop it!" Rose ordered. "This isn't about that and I'll see who I please."

"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady," her mother shot back, her eyes flashing with anger.

"Rose, your mother and I have already seen to damage control. I'll deal with Harkness personally."

"No, you won't," Rose said with confidence. "Jack's my friend and what happened wasn't his fault. Besides, I wanted to go out. I've locked myself away long enough and I'm tired of tip toeing around so that I don't embarrass my parents."

"Rose," her father said sternly.

Rose turned to her mother and whipped out the detective report which she threw on a table. "I talked to the Doctor and realized a few things so I went back and looked at that detective report that you shoved at me, telling me it was proof he was cheating. Guess what? There are pages missing."

"I don't know what your talking about and that has nothing to do with you tarting yourself around London," her mother replied defensively.

"This has everything to do with my life being a mess! This has to do with me leaving and divorcing my husband who was not cheating on me and I think you knew that!"

"You don't talk to your mother that way! Pete!" Jackie shouted.

"Rose, I'm sure there's a plausible explanation for any missing pages. Now why don't we sit down and talk about why this is an issue now and why you're having anything to do with Ardis. I thought that was settled."

It is not settled!" Rose shouted. "This is about people lying and leading me to believe things that aren't true. You have a copy of this report and I want to see it now!" Rose said half shouting and clearly furious.

"No, I don't like your tone. Matter of fact, I think you should leave until you can speak to us with respect and apologize properly," Jackie informed her, her head held high.

"Fine, I'll get it from the detective," Rose informed them scooping up the paperwork. "But if I find out you took the pages out, if you hid something from me…don't expect to see or hear from me any time soon. I lost the love of my life over this, over what you said was, what were your words, proof positive, he was cheating."

"That is quite enough," her father said in a stern voice.

"Yeah, I think it is." Rose turned and stormed out of the house, pulling out her mobile to call the detective and informing his office she was on her way.

Pete turned to Jackie who looked nervous. "Is what she said true?"

"Pete, you know I would only do what's best for Rose, to protect her…"

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jackie," he said sighing.

"Well it was obvious he was all wrong for her! You saw the pictures with that Poisson woman and he was buying that flat!"

"The repot never indicated he was having an affair," Pete stated.

"Well," Jackie said wringing her hands. "Maybe not as such but all the evidence pointed to it and he was wrong for her! He took advantage of my daughter, eloped and kept her away from us and made no effort to be a part of this family. It was clear he was using her for his own selfish needs and was gonna toss her aside. I was protecting her!"

Pete cursed and paced. "Do you know what you've done?" he asked in a tired voice.

"I was protecting her!" Jackie shouted. "She's my daughter, it's my job!"

"She won't see it that way." He sighed and looked upwards. "She still loves him and now the two of them have started talking which is something that should have happened a long time ago." He looked at Jackie. "The question is what do we do now? Lose our daughter?"

"I can't," Jackie choked out and walked over into her husband's arms tears pouring down her face. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I just…she's still my baby. She always will be."

"I know," Pete murmured holding her close. "We'll make this right." Pete knew that making this right would take time, apologies and perhaps a bit of eating crow with not only Rose but with her ex husband. Oh he was not looking forward to that and especially not with Jackie. But, Rose was his daughter and she was more important than anything.

Dwdwdwdwdwwdwdwdwdwdwdwd

Rose picked up the report. It had indeed been missing pages. It made her sick to think how easily she accepted someone's suggestion he betrayed her even though there were other things happening at the time to make her worried. It was even more disheartening that her own family was involved. She and the Doctor really did have a messed up relationship.

Rose had school and work and knew she had to set aside her grief over this realization. Of course, school was no better when she found an email notification of her academic probation. Could her day turn any shittier? Then, she quickly took that back because she was sure it could and it was best not to tempt fate, not with her track record. After a few gruelling hours of trying not to think about her problems and focusing on her schoolwork, she left for work.

Dr. Mott truly was a blessing and didn't task her too much that day and blessedly she was in her office and didn't have to interact with the public. She just wasn't in the mood to be smiling, helpful Rose. Instead, she texted Amy and informed her that she needed a distraction and to meet her at her flat with wine, takeout and ice cream. Amy was waiting when Rose arrived home. It was a night of watching Steel Magnolias, Bridget Jones Diary and oddly, The Little Mermaid. They cried, cursed, drank and each downed a pint of Haagen Daz chocolate chocolate chip ice cream. They feel asleep on Rose's sofa and didn't wake up until there was a knock on Rose's door the next morning.

Rose, in ice cream stained pink jim jams blearily walked over and peeked to see who it was. All she saw was a bouquet of flowers. She stepped back and ran a hand through her sleep mussed hair, confused. Why was someone at her door with flowers? There was another knock.

"Well you answer the bloomin' door already. Some of us are trying to sleep," Amy slurred, burrowed into the sofa cushions.

Rose cracked open the door to find the Doctor, looking wide eyed at her. She shut it, a bit terrified.

"Rose, please open the door. I need to talk to you," he said, his voice muffled through the door.

"Oh God," she whispered and started combing her fingers through her hair and frowning at her jim jams. "Uh just a mo, I…."

"Rose, I've seen you hundreds of times in the morning. You're fine, beautiful, molto bene. Please, just open the door. I'll make you tea while you freshen up."

Rose bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut thinking and then finally sighed. "Oh, all right but enter at your own risk," she said and flinched again.

She opened the door and he beamed a smile at her.

"Hello," he said, his voice soft as he took her in. "You look beautiful."

She stepped back to let him in. "No I don't. I'm awful," she said, looking down her long blonde hair curtaining her face.

"Mornings with Rose Tyler were my favourites. Well, only to be topped by nights with Rose Tyler.," he teased.

She smiled shyly and he shoved the flowers at her, a combination of daisies, stargazer lilies, purple irises and pink baby's breath mixed with some greenery. "I thought maybe you could use a little flowery cheer after um everything."

"They're lovely. That was real thoughtful of you," she said and sniffed the sweet smelling flowers.

"Why don't I put these in some water and start tea while you freshen up?"

She thanked him and hesitantly went back to her room leaving him alone in her kitchen. He'd always been fairly efficient and knew his way around so she wasn't too worried but then again, it was the fact he was here. She wasn't sure how he found her address and part of her wondered about that but part of her was delighted he'd made the effort. Still, what did he want? What was his goal here? She'd think about that after a quick shower to help her focus.

The Doctor was filled with nervous anticipation. It had not been easy to ask advice from Jack Harkness but he had to admit, the man had a few brilliant suggestions. And, it appeared he was right. Rose had let him in her flat and didn't shout at him. That was a very good start. He found something vase like, filled it with water and put the flowers in and began working on tea. He grinned when he found the elephant tea kettle. He'd loved this tea kettle. It was so Rose. Her tea cupboard was filled with a variety of teas that always amazed him. She was such a collector and found the most intriguing flavours. He went for a standard Earl Grey today. He hummed as he worked, looking in her refrigerator for the makings of breakfast, intent on impressing her. He pulled out bread, eggs and milk intent on making her French Toast when he heard a voice clearing her throat behind him. He turned to find the ginger avenger staring at him threateningly.

"Don't you look cozy?" she said sarcastically.

"Ah, Amy right? Just making breakfast. Rose is off, you know, freshening up," he said, waving his hand in the air for emphasis. Amy glared at him. "Not that she needs it! No, beautiful first thing the morning, Rose is. Fresh as a…." he drifted off. "Look, I'm trying to make things right here."

Amy arched an eyebrow and looked at what he was cooking. "And you think making FRENCH toast is a good plan?"

His mouth opened and closed before he winced. "Fine, you're right. Toast and omelettes it is." He went to work with this new revised plan, pulling a few more things out of the cupboards and refrigerator while Amy watched.

"If you hurt her, there's no where you can hide," she said casually but ominously. He looked over his shoulder to see her sitting there in her yellow sheep covered jim jams, her hair slightly mussed and narrowing her eyes at him in a way that made him slightly uncomfortable. He turned back to his work

"I don't intend on hurting her. I just want to talk."

"That's a change," she said sarcastically.

He whipped around, whisk in his hand. "Oi, I know we had our issues and I want to make it right! I never wanted that divorce."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Go on," she responded, not sounding convinced.

"Not that I have to tell you or anyone, but I…I love her. Even now, after everything," he said softly and almost with disbelief.

"Enough to grovel for forgiveness, because you should. You hurt her, you and your hoity toity super genius friends. She put up with a lot for you."

He sighed. "I didn't know about any of that. She never told me and that's part of the problem. It wasn't just me, you know. Rose kept secrets too."

He continued cooking and the kettle whistled. He poured tea and handed her a mug. "And I'm prepared to do what it takes to make things work with Rose." He paused. "But it takes two. It has to be both of us making an effort."

Amy sipped her tea, adding a spoonful of sugar and set it down, stirring it whilst staring at him. "It does. What I want to know is if you're going to stick with her no matter what. Even, if it means dinners with her family once a week." He winced and she continued. "Even if it means supporting her while she's in school, letting her pick where you live, getting to go out with her friends every once in while."

"I never said she couldn't go out with her friends! We went out with what's her name Shareen and her boy toy Rickey!"

"Yeah, but it wasn't that often and you always dragged her to every one of your university functions."

He whinged. "But those are booooring. I needed her. It was important."

"And her friends aren't?" Amy shouted.

"I didn't say that!" he retorted. "There's a difference between work and social things." He turned back to his breakfast making and stacked toast, peering in the cupboards for jam and muttering about the deplorable lack of proper jam varieties.

"You never did anything with your friends? You only took her to work parties? What, you don't' have any friends?" she snipped.

He slammed a jar of jam down harder than he intended. "I work very hard. It takes up my time and yes I have friends but they work very hard too and you know, live around the world."

"Oh, that's just sad," Amy said and shook her head. "No wonder you're so clingy."

That was about all he could take and luckily Rose walked in to intervene. "Amy, you're not annoying the Doctor now, are you?"

Amy looked at Rose and smiled innocently. "Would I do that?"

Rose, now dressed in a hoody and jeans, her hair still slightly damp just rolled her eyes. She then looked over at the Doctor. "Sorry." She smiled and sniffed. "Is that breakfast?"

His confidence bumped up with her return he smiled brightly and began serving her tea, omelettes and toast and babbled on how she needed to pop over the store as she only had on kind of jam, just one and maybe he could do that for her, if she wanted, of course.

Rose smiled, enjoying breakfast. When Amy disappeared to change, giving Rose a significant look, Rose picked up the plates to clean them. The Doctor insisted he would do it but after an argument, they cleaned up together, him washing and her drying.

"Doctor, I know you didn't just come here to cook me breakfast."

"No, I wanted us to talk and thought maybe, I could take you to dinner tonight, just the two of us."

Rose focused on vigorously drying a plate. She wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not but everything in her was screaming yes go. "You, you want to talk about what? The past?"

"He set down the pan he was cleaning, dried his hands and turned to her, cupping her face. "The past, present and future."

She looked into his brown eyes, so deep, alluring and almost compelling her to say yes. "I want to but…I just…"

"Please Rose, don't give up on us. I'm not ready to walk away. I…I still care for you and I'm sorry if it scares you but I still love you."

Rose felt her eyes tearing up. So much had happened between them. She looked down and then back at him. "We can't change the past, the things that we said, what we did and I know it's not all your fault. I…you were right. We broke us before anyone else got in the way."

"And we can fix us. I know we can. I trust in you."

"Enough to tell me about your past, to tell me the things you were keeping to yourself?"

He nodded. "I, it won't be easy. I've spent my life living in the present, never looking back," he said, looking down but then he looked at her. "For you, if it's important, we can talk about…" he swallowed hard. "Who I was before you, even if that man was not as good as the man you made me."

Rose felt tears falling. "Don't you get it, I want to love all of you, who you were, are and will be but you have to let me in, just like I have to let you in. I was so afraid of hurting you or pushing you away, I kept things bottled up inside and look where it's gotten us."

"Help me fix this, Rose. Give me a chance, please."

She nodded her head. "Okay."

He smiled and pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight to him, nestling his face in the crook of her neck and inhaling. He had missed her so much and especially this, holding her, feeling her arms around him and just basking in the safety he felt in her arms.

Amy coughed and they parted. Rose blushed. "So, where you taking me for dinner?"

"May I surprise you?"

Rose fidgeted. "Uh last surprise didn't work out so well," she murmured, thinking of the infamous flat in Paris he was buying for them that snowballed into mistrust, betrayal and divorce.

"This will be different. It won't be some extravagant scheme to impress you or involve my work."

Rose smiled shyly. "You could impress me a little, if you want."

He beamed it her. "Just you wait."

She walked him out and they kissed tentatively and almost shyly. Rose was smiling softly to herself when she returned to Amy who had that look on her face. "Oh Amy, don't. It's different this time."

"I didn't say anything," she said as she began gathering her belongings.

"I believe he really wants to make things right and so do I. I can see a difference in him."

Amy snorted in response.

"I can. He's not so confident as he once was. He looks almost tentative around me."

"Well he should be! He's been horrid to you."

"Was I any better to him? I left him, filed the divorce, ran away and never spoke to him again. At least he tried to explain even if I wouldn't listen. And that's just the point. We both sort of ran from each other, didn't talk. It's past time we came clean with one another. Besides, it's just dinner. It's not like I'm running off with him."

Amy swung her bag over her shoulder and looked at Rose. "The idiot loves you."

Rose stared at her in shock.

"I know, I know, sounds mad coming from me but it's the truth. Even I can see that. That's not saying he still doesn't need work or you shouldn't drill him with questions. In fact, I'd ask for a complete account of his past including who he's shagged. You can't be too careful."

"Amy! I don't want to know about every one night stand." Rose wrinkled her nose. "I really don't. I do want to know about his past and I want to know what he's been up to lately and why I should trust him again. I mean, if he wants us to be together, we have to make sure we still have things in common and won't end up back in the same place."

Amy walked over and hugged her. "Just talk to each other, snog him and eventually dip your toe into the shagging waters but make him earn it. Blokes like him have it too easy. If he works for it, he'll appreciate you more. That's what I made Rory do. Still make him work for it," she confided and winked as she left, stopping to peek her head back in. "Any man who shows up on your doorstep, tells you you're beautiful when you look like shit, cooks you breakfast and declares his love for you can't be all bad. Ring me after you get home. I want to hear everything!"


	7. Chapter 7

After, Amy left, Rose settled herself down at her laptop still smiling and thinking of the Doctor. It was the first time she'd felt this happy in a long time. She dug into her schoolwork. There was no choice, she had to. Academic probation was nothing to play around with and this would be on her record. The afternoon flew by and soon she was at work. As she wrapped up her shift, Dr. Mott told her she had the next few days off. A little bird had mentioned she needed to focus on her school work due to a certain good deed she had done. Rose thanked him and left but before she made it too far, she was met by a very familiar face. It was the Doctor in the same brown pinstripe suit he wore the night they met, their first date.

Rose blushed remembering that night, about how he had convinced her to sneak away from the party and all the stuffy academics and climb up onto the roof of Prydonian Hall. There, they curled up together looking at the stars and talking about school and their dreams. They had just been two normal people then, not the professor and the blonde. He had walked her home afterwards stopping off at her favourite chippy and they talked until sunrise. Rose remembered how animated he had been, how they had rambled about movies, books, places they wanted to see or places they had visited. She had been so taken with him and so comfortable.

He stepped forward and grasped her hand. "Rose?" he asked nervously.

She smiled and squeezed his hand. "So, where we going?"

He seemed to let out a breath he was holding. "Just you wait and see."

They left the museum, caught one of London's red double decker buses, riding on top with the window partially down and enjoying the cool clear night. He wrapped his arm around her and he told her stories about London's architectural history, how few of the buildings predated the Great Fire of 1666 except for the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and a few Tudor structures. He continued regaling her about modern architecture and how skyscrapers were restricted to certain areas and how the tallest skyscraper in Europe was in London. The bus stopped and with a grin he whispered, "I think this is our stop."

Rose couldn't help that giddy bit of heart pounding excitement as he pulled her off the bus. He paused just looking at her. Rose looked away shyly and then back at him. "Your hair, it's a bit longer now," she said and then grimaced not intending to say that. "I didn't mean…"

He ran a hand through it nervously, pulling it up even more than it already was. Rose stepped up to him and he leaned over and closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through it, tugging it this way and that. When he straightened, she was blushing. She cleared her throat. "Yes, um shouldn't we be going where ever?"

He smiled and had a bit of twinkle in his eyes. "Oh, we have all the time in the world. That being said, part of the surprise is the atmosphere and I wouldn't want you to miss one second of it so shall we?" He held her hand and tugged her down the road. When they arrived at The Shard, Rose's mouth dropped open in awe and she looked up. "I've never been all the way to the top," she confided.

"Well, we should fix that." He then walked her inside, went over to a desk and spoke to a young man who then waved them up. Rose was looking at information about the building when he retrieved her and they entered the glass lift where the lift attendant smiled at them and started them up, telling them a bit about the Shard. The Doctor pulled Rose into his arms as they listened and looked out over the London sky line glinting in the setting sun.

At the top observation deck, they walked out of the lift to find it empty. Rose turned to him in question and he just smiled. "Come on," he said softly and pulled her over to a part of the observation deck that looked out over the London Eye and London Bridge. There was a blanket and pillows on the floor set for a picnic.

"Doctor, this is amazing!" Rose gushed as he took her coat and they settled down and admired the view.

"I'm glad you like it," he said and reached over to an ice bucket and pulled out a couple of bottles of hard cider out which he opened with flourish, handing one to her. The lift dinged and a waiter wheeled a cart over to them and delivered fish, chips, the obligatory bottle of vinegar and a tray with variety of sweets. He wished them an enjoyable evening and left them to it.

Rose was stunned. He'd put a lot of thought and effort into this, in making this evening about her and them, who they were once upon a time. She felt her heart melt a little. It didn't begin to solve their problems but it showed how much he wanted them to work.

"Rose, I don't want you to think that I'm trying to repeat what drew us together in the past. This is more about remembering where we came from and who we are now and hopefully, make a start at a future together."

She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. Her hand cupped his face and she gazed into his eyes. "I think…" She paused and smiled. "I like this surprise much better than the last."

He gave her another brilliant smile and the two of them tucked into their meal and talked as they had not talked in a very long time. She asked him about his teaching position in Paris and why he left. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear about Jeanette Poisson but something in her had to know. He admitted that he'd gone to Paris to get away after the divorce, that he was angry and hurt and did the one thing he was being accused of because he'd already been judged so why not. Paris, as it turned out, did not necessarily agree with him. It wasn't the romantic city he thought it would be. Paris and Jeanette had taught him a few lessons about what he didn't want.

Rose had nodded and held his hand, thanking him for being honest. But she had more questions, about his past, his family and what drove him to university in the first place. These questions were far more difficult for him to answer but Rose squeezed his hand and soon the words tumbled out and not just words but the emotions with it. Rose may have grown up surrounded by wealth, but she had a loving family and parents who cared for her. The Doctor's family had been the opposite, focused on their careers, demanding and constantly pushing him harder and insisting he could do better. Even so, when he lost them all in plane crash, it destroyed his world. They had been traveling to Italy to see him awarded a commendation for his research. He blamed himself. Although he had always been fiercely independent, relying on himself and leading rather than following, after the accident he was even more driven.

Rose listened and began seeing who he was more clearly and could see some of the failures in her marriage relating back to his past but she could also see some of his more lovable qualities and why she had fallen for him so hard and so quickly. He wasn't the only one to talk though. The Doctor pushed her to tell him about why she quit school, about how she was treated and her insecurities. It was difficult for her to discuss these things without feeling some of those emotions welling up again but he was there for her this time, strong and supportive. This continued all night and like their fist date, until the sun rose the next day. He walked her home and kissed her at the door in a long and passionate snog that left Rose's toes curling. There was still a long way to go for them but it was a start.

Of course, there was the obligatory Amy call to report how her date went as Rose logged on for school. She cut Amy off as she began lecturing Rose not to rush into anything. School came first and Rose found herself repeating those same words to Jack who showed up later that day with sushi. He looked over her shoulder as she worked, making a few suggestions every now.

"So who's the hot guy teaching British Imperial Policy & Decolonisation?"

Rose punched him in the arm. "Oi! That's enough. Besides, I think Ianto's a bit sweet on you. Come to think of it, Gwen might be too!"

Jack grinned brightly. "The more the merrier! Speaking of which, what about you and your Doctor? Don't suppose the two of you would like…" he asked and left it open ended.

Rose rolled her eyes. "First off, I've got school. Academic probation, remember? I'm not screwing up my degree to go out and get pissed and whatever. Second, the Doctor and I need to focus on us right now."

Jack smiled even brighter. "That's my girl. Got your priorities straight. Just make sure you keep his straight too."

Rose smiled softly and glanced at her laptop. "I think we're both thinking about that right now and part of that means not letting anyone influence us whether with good intentions or not. Just need a bit of time, yeah."

"Understood and agreed. Just know that I'm here if you need me. Especially, if it's to kick his rather fine tight arse."

Rose giggled. "Jack!"

"Hey, I'm just saying!"

Rose shoved him. "Go, I've got to study!"

With a quick kiss on the cheek, Jack left feeling pleased that the two of them were on their way to something better. He just hoped Rose's Doctor could keep on the straight and narrow. If not, well, he might be hearing from Jack.

Jack had nothing to fear. The Doctor had learned a very hard lesson when his marriage crashed and burned. He didn't like life without Rose and he wasn't very proud of the man he had become afterwards, mired in bitterness, using Jeanette Poisson to hurt Rose and worst of all, not seeing what should have been the obvious problems in his marriage. He liked to think he could learn from his mistakes. Their date at the Shard had been illuminating to say the least. Rose had pushed him on things he didn't want to talk about and had long since buried in the back of his mind. Yet, talking about them with her, hadn't been as bad as he thought. In fact, he felt lighter. She hadn't judged him and was typically Rose, kind, compassionate and adding her own insight and observations.

The painful part of the night had been listening to her talk about things that happened during their marriage and learning how he had hurt her, even unintentionally. Finding out his colleagues had disrespected and insulted her, made him livid and changed his view on Academia. He'd always known many of them were pompous, egotistical arseholes but this confirmed it. In fact, he was sure Rose might make a few comments about him being one of them. But, that was then and this was now. He'd always said Rose made him a better man, not a perfect man, but a better one. Now he needed to prove to her that he could be the partner she needed.

One year later…

The Doctor was making a mess of his tie when Rose stilled his hands, grabbed him by the lapels and snogged him. It had been a year of dating, relearning each other, rowing, making up and growing stronger. Rose had worked hard and passed all her courses with excellent marks. The Doctor had instituted a blind grading system, inputting all grades based on student identification numbers instead of names to address any favouritism issues. He was delighted to find out in the end that Rose was one of his best students. Harry Saxon reared his ugly head one more time making more accusations against the Doctor but soon found himself facing his own problems when he was accused of discrimination and harassment. The Doctor, Rose and Clara had gone out to celebrate the end to that nasty chapter.

At the end of term, they had decided to take the summer to go traveling and spend more one on one time with each other and talk about the future. When they had returned, her parents were waiting for them at her flat. It had been tense to say the least with the Doctor offering to go out for a while so she could have privacy. Rose wouldn't have it. It was Pete who apologized first. The Doctor was quiet and clearly not comfortable but nodded his head and shook his hand. Jackie had stood in the background staring at Rose, clearly upset and conflicted.

Rose stared at her pointedly until Jackie also stepped forward and apologized as only she could, by reminding the Doctor that she would always protect her daughter but she was sorry if in doing so, she hurt her and them. The Doctor rolled his eyes and shook his head. Rose stood beside him and clasped her hand with his as a sign to her parents that she wouldn't allow them to interfere. Jackie saw this and seemed to reach some type of internal acceptance. She apologized to Rose. Mother and daughter hugged and Jackie turned to the Doctor and held her hand out. The Doctor stared hard at her, informing her that he loved Rose and would always fight for her. Eventually, he took her hand and shook. After that the tension ebbed but didn't completely disappear.

Now, he found himself dressing for a formal function hosted by the Tylers. It wasn't something he was looking forward to but he was doing it for Rose not unlike she had attended an awards ceremony for him. Quid pro quo was what she'd teased. After a thorough calming your nerves snog, they finished dressing and made their way out. As he sat at dinner that night with her family, making small talk with boring bankers and solicitors, he marvelled at how much their lives had changed. A year and a half ago, he was bitter and angry over is divorce. A year ago, he and Rose had begun to reconcile and six months ago, he found himself out with Rose and her friends, enjoying himself and itching to plan for their future. A month ago he had proposed, this time properly. Welll, properly for them which for anyone else might be a bit mad: on a park bench, eating fish and chips. Unlike the first time when he'd swept her off her feet and insisted they elope, this time he had been so nervous and worried he was pushing her. She had stared at him for a few seconds before snogging him senseless which he then had to confirm meant yes.

She'd asked him to move into her flat right then and there. Two weeks ago, they'd told her parents during brunch at one of her mother's posh luncheon places. They'd figured it would be safer there. Much to their surprise, Jackie Tyler was happy for them. Of course, she did have a bit of a wedding planning mania glint in her eye but Pete had promised them he would handle it and he would be happy to throw them whatever wedding they wanted whether it be the wedding of the century or something quiet and intimate. There had been much hugging and Jackie even hugged him. He still wasn't sure how to feel about that. Attending the charity dinner had been his way of showing the Tylers that he understood and respected Rose's family obligations and was committed to joining this family.

Rose's hand slipped under the table to rest on his thigh, in a reassuring and flirtatious way. It made him feel warm, safe and more relaxed than he had ever been. Even there, at a society function not unlike the one where they had met during his infamous confrontation with Amy the Ginger Avenger, he felt a certain happiness and peace just being near Rose. He could smile about that previous night when things had not as been as pleasant and now considered Amy and her boyfriend Rory friends. Even the notorious American, Jack Harkness, was firmly in the friend category. Life had changed for the better.

Rose looked over and watched the Doctor chatting with one of her father's friends, a financial advisor, Mr. Copper. She knew he hated these things but he was doing this for her. Really, that is what they were both committed to doing now, being there for each other, together and partners. They'd found common ground anchored in love as corny as that sounded but it was true. She never would have imagined when she'd first seen him across the room at the library fundraiser a year ago that they would find themselves where they are now, happy and planning a bright future.

This wasn't that first flash of love and passion they'd felt when they'd first married. This was stronger and she felt secure in him as well as herself. They had mutual friends now and were both committed to Rose finishing her degree and then spending some time exploring and deciding where they wanted to live. It was as if this whole new world had opened up to them and they wanted to hang on and take it for a ride now matter where it took them, as long as they were together.

She leaned over to him and whispered into his ear, "Professor Hotty."

He turned to her with a steamy look and leaned into her. "Why Ms. Tyler, is that any way to address your professor?"

"Your not my teacher any more," she whispered back with a naughty glint her eyes.

"Is that so," he replied, arching a brow and looked around before leaning into her. "Do I need to remind of you last night's lesson on thermoregulation?"

"Mmmm, you might. You know physics isn't my best subject, not like my oral presentation on love in the modern western world. I think you rather liked that one."

"Oh yes," he breathed out. "Maybe I need to proctor an oral examination on the subject."

"Mmmm, I think you need to proctor somethin' all right and considering we've been here for two hours, my parents are a bit busy prodding rich people for money and I'm not wearing any knickers..."

His eyes went glassy for a moment. "I love you," he said with a growl.

"I love you too. Now as I see it, we get up, dance across the room and make for the door before anyone's the wiser."

He grinned. "Rose Tyler, are you suggesting we run?"

She leaned her forehead against his. "Together."

And they never stopped running together much to the consternation of her parents and amusement of their friends who could only smile and shake their heads at the former exes now friends, lovers, partners and soon to be husband and wife. They might not be the fairy tale but their love was stronger for it and maybe, just maybe, it was better than any fairy tale ending.


End file.
